President Obama’s nominee to head up the CIA, John Brennan, faced off with Senators on the Intelligence Committee on Thursday, as part of his confirmation hearing. He was asked several questions about the drone warfare program, and its lethal targeting of American citizens abroad. As the architect of this program, Brennan defended the use of drones to kill Americans who are deemed “imminent threats,” and can’t be captured.

At one point in the hearing, Senator Ron Wyden asked Brennan if American citizens should be given a chance to surrender, before they are targeted for death. Brennan dismissed the question, saying that all Americans currently working for al-Qaeda can surrender any time they wish. But the killing of American citizens with drones is just one issue. Perhaps a bigger issue, is the power of the President to order military strikes in sovereign nations, that we are not at war with, like Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia.

This tactic sets a dangerous precedent for the future, as more nations and organizations acquire drones, and seek to use them in the same way the United States uses them. Let’s hope it doesn’t take the Mexican government targeting a drug trafficker in Phoenix with a drone strike, and killing a few Americans as collateral damage, for us all to wake up to how destructive this sort of drone warfare really is.

Democrats may trust President Obama at the helm in the drone war program – but he’ll only be in office four more years, and who knows who’ll take control afterward – and what the world will look like.

-Thom

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Thursday's Daily Stack

Article: "Constitution of the United States".

Article: "5th Amendment" (capital crimes, double jeopardy, plead the 5th, compensation for property taken for public use).

Article: "6th Amendment" (speedy trial, witnesses, defence).

Article: "7th Amendment" (right to trial).

Article: "8th Amendment". "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

The Big Picture
- Sam Sacks, The Big Picture producer, progressive commentator

Article: "The One-Paragraph Law Behind Obama's Drone War" by Abby Ohlheiser.

Article: "John Bolton Praises Obama’s Drone Program As ‘Sensible’ And ‘Consistent’ Extension Of Bush-Era Policies" by Andrew Kirell.

Article: "Brennan Hearing Much Smoother Than Hagel's" by Paul D. Shinkman.

Article: "CODEPINK Repeatedly Disrupts Brennan Hearing Calling Out Names of Civilians Killed in Drone Strikes".

Article: "Obama Super Bowl Interview Addresses Boy Scouts' Anti-Gay Policy (VIDEO)".

Case: "Brown v. Board Of Education", 1954.

Article: "Ludlow Massacre", 1914 by Wikipedia.

Book: "A People's History of the United States (P.S.)" by Howard Zinn.

Quote: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin".

Book: "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Revised and Updated: The Fate of the World and What We Can Do Before It's Too Late" by Thom Hartmann.

Hour Two: Ayn Rand classes forced on children now?
- Ed Hudgins, The Atlas Society

Article: "Idaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate" by David Edwards.

Book: "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.

Book: "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand.

Book: "Anthem" by Ayn Rand.

Book: "They Thought They Were Free" by Milton Mayer.

Article: "Declaration of Independence".

Book: "Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became "People" - And How You Can Fight Back" by Thom Hartmann - new updated version out now!

Article: "Ayn Rand: Queen of the Universe " by Thom Hartmann and Sam Sacks.

Debate: "Do multinational corporations have a duty to maintain a strong presence in their home countries?"

Article: "It’s One Of The Craziest Internet Rumors About Guns. And As It Turns Out, It’s True." by HarveyDarkey.

Video: "Ayn Rand Mike Wallace Interview 1959 part 1".

Hour Three: Are we close to getting junk food out of schools?
- Julie Gunlock, Independent Women's Forum

Article: "New USDA rule would take most junk food out of schools" by Rebecca Leber.

Article: "Then They Came for the School Snacks" by Julie Gunlock.

Article: "'Lunch ladies' criticize how CPS updated school food" by Monica Eng.

The good: "Sanders proposes Tax Fairness Act" by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The bad: Republicans in North Dakota: "GOP bill would require self paid drug tests for welfare recipients" by Robert Sobel.

The very, very ugly: Matthew Harrison: "Newtown pastor reprimanded over prayer vigil" by Rachel Zoll.

Case: "Marbury v. Madison", 1803.

Book: "Cracking the Code: How to Win Hearts, Change Minds, and Restore America's Original Vision" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans" by Michael Isikoff.

Article: "GOP Senate Leader Endorses National Union-Busting Law" by Travis Waldron.

Article: "Aaron Swartz's Girlfriend Has A Damning Theory About The Young Reddit Co-Founder's Suicide" by Alyson Shontell.

Article: "Boy Scouts delay decision on whether to lift policy excluding gays, set new vote for May" by AP.

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