The case of an American citizen and suspected member of al-Qaida who is allegedly planning attacks on U.S. targets overseas underscores the complexities of President Barack Obama's new stricter targeting guidelines for the use of deadly drones.
The CIA drones watching him cannot strike because he's a U.S. citizen. The Pentagon drones that could are barred from the country where he's hiding, and the Justice Department has not yet finished building a case against him.
Four U.S. officials said the American suspected terrorist is in a country that refuses U.S. military action on its soil and that has proved unable to go after him. And Obama's new policy says American suspected terrorists overseas can only be killed by the military, not the CIA, creating a policy conundrum for the White House.
Two of the officials described the man as an al-Qaida facilitator who has been directly responsible for deadly attacks against U.S. citizens overseas and who continues to plan attacks against them that would use improvised explosive devices.The question is, whose purpose? The WaPo's version of the story weighs heavily on Congressman Rogers' comments regarding a sense that Obama counter-terrorism policy is handcuffing efforts to get the bad guys. This suggests the leak didn't originate in the White House. Indeed AP (ABC) quotes "four US officials", which suggests they weren't "administration officials". Jay Carney would not confirm when asked for comment today, but he didn't deny it either.
Media outlets were using the story to highlight the new, improved "targeted killing policy", ie, Obama Kill List. Imagine Bush being associated with anything remotely like it, and the reaction. It's funny that Obama told Hollande at Monticello today, "I can do anything I want". Yes, a joke, but not far from the truth as he again changed Obamacare today and if he were to contradict his own targeted killing policy by eliminating a US citizen suspected terrorist, who's going to impeach him? John Boehner?
So on to the speculation. Some say a trial balloon designed to gage public reaction to targeted killing of a US citizen. Hey, they poll everything nowadays.
Others speculate it was designed to smoke said terrorist out of his hidey hole by indicating that one of his coming days may end poorly should the President decide to go all Obamacare on his targeted killing rules.
Some speculate it's about letting the country in question know we know, while others look at this as career outsiders prodding the President to act before it's too late.
Whatever the case a lot of politics could be played, such as mentioning that top secret info was given to the press amidst an administration that has prosecuted more leakers than all the other administrations combined. Will Holder go after someone here or will his reluctance telegraph the leak's origin? Will a Fox News reporter be wiretapped for good measure? Surely the leader of the country in question is already under surveillance.
But seriously, how best to decipher this riddle. How about taking the above paragraphs one at a time, keeping in mind they were presumably written by an AP reporter and not the White House--bold added for effect:
The case of an American citizen and suspected member of al-Qaida who is allegedly planning attacks on U.S. targets overseas underscores the complexities of President Barack Obama's new stricter targeting guidelines for the use of deadly drones.The target is undoubtedly a US citizen because there was no qualifier language included. He is a suspected member of AQ, allegedly planning attacks on OVERSEAS targets according to the writer, but maybe not the government. Anyway, the 'homeland' is not assumed to be under threat. Onward...
The CIA drones watching him cannot strike because he's a U.S. citizen. The Pentagon drones that could are barred from the country where he's hiding, and the Justice Department has not yet finished building a case against him.So there are CIA drones operating over the country in question. Story doesn't say whether the country in question knows this or not; allows it; or simply can't stop them. Wherever it is they do not allow US military operations, at least drones. Finally, if the Justice people haven't written up a full case then it's unlikely he's one of the luminaries on the Rewards for Justice most-wanted terrorist site, since most of them have been around awhile. But based on the leak of the story they believe he's about to do or direct something.
Four U.S. officials said the American suspected terrorist is in a country that refuses U.S. military action on its soil and that has proved unable to go after him. And Obama's new policy says American suspected terrorists overseas can only be killed by the military, not the CIA, creating a policy conundrum for the White House.That's interesting, since it suggests the country might not be hostile to the US, just that it cannot or does not allow US military action. Sometimes that is done to assuage the local population. Since Obama changed the world and everyone loves us now, it's hard to figure out who it could be. But the language also suggests the country could be hostile and just will not go after this AQ belligerent against our wishes. Which brings in Putin!
Two of the officials described the man as an al-Qaida facilitator who has been directly responsible for deadly attacks against U.S. citizens overseas and who continues to plan attacks against them that would use improvised explosive devices.So he's a facilitator, not an operative or combatant. He's been around long enough to be responsible for the deaths of Americans OVERSEAS, but as earlier comments indicated the Justice people don't have a case on him yet so he must be a relatively newer discovery. Since they mentioned IEDs that suggests a war zone like Iraq or Syria but IEDs can be used anywhere.
So that's it. They didn't specify if the guy was "Core" or with one of the affiliates, which doesn't help much, but we do have a few American citizens on the Rewards for Justice wanted list. These two come to mind first:
1. Adam Gadahn, aka Azzam the American, aka, Adam the Assclown
2. Abdul Rahman Yasin. Whether he's considered AQ or even still operating is unclear. He was one of the bomb mixers of the first WTC attack who boogied to Baghdad after the attack and hasn't been seen since the invasion. Saddam seemed to be hiding him so bringing him up might be inconvenient.
There's also:
3. Jehad Mustafa, a Wisconsin native now working for al-Shabaab
Some may think about Adnan Shukrijumah, aka, Jafar the Pilot (a very very HVT) due to his extensive time living in the United States. But he's not a US citizen.
Stumped at the moment, but it's Monday.
Do have some closing observations/questions. Is it a coincidence that the WaPo released a video of the extraordinary rendition capture of Anas al-Libi today? Not sure if that was authorized by the admin either. If not, what's the point? Finally, is it a clue that all passengers booked on Caribbean Airlines flights from Guyana to the United States from today through Tuesday were told to make alternative plans due to threats received? "Jafar the Pilot" is a citizen of Guyana, by the way.
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