Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have to admit, I am surprised by Sen. John McCain's fairly gracious response to President Obama's terrorism speech on Thursday.
Here is Sen. John McCain's statement:
STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN ON
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S SPEECH ON TERRORISM TODAY
May 23, 2013
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement on President Obama’s speech on terrorism today at the National Defense University in Washington, DC:
“There is much that I support in President Obama's speech today. Though I continue to have questions and concerns about specific details of how he plans to achieve the goals he laid out today, I believe there is common ground to work with the President to advance both our counterterrorism objectives and our highest values as a nation of laws.
“I support the President’s plan to consolidate the use of armed drones in the Department of Defense. That is the appropriate department of our government to conduct military operations against our enemies. Assigning this role to the Department would enable our other government agencies to focus their precious time and resources on furthering their own essential core missions.
“I also support the President’s reaffirmation of the goal of closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. That is a goal I have long shared. More than four years ago, the President said he would close Guantanamo but did not put forward a concrete plan to do so. I look forward to seeing the specifics of the plan the President outlined today.
“As the President suggested, closing Guantanamo will require bringing some detainees inside the United States to stand trial in civilian courts or military commissions, as appropriate. It will also require transferring other detainees back to their home countries or to other foreign locations in a way that limits the risk of recidivism as much as possible. And, for those detainees who unfortunately cannot be brought to trial but who are too dangerous to release, closing Guantanamo will require those individuals to be held indefinitely in the United States. This long-term detention should include periodic review and additional due process safeguards. I encourage the President to work with Congress on what additional authorities may be needed to establish a legal framework to meet this goal that is consistent with our national security and principles of justice.
“I also have many questions and concerns about the advisability of transferring Yemeni detainees to their country at this time, even though many are cleared for release. Yemen has a weak government that continues to face numerous security threats. With this in mind, I will be traveling to Yemen in the near future to assess how conducive the conditions in that country are to begin responsibly returning detainees to Yemen.
“No American wants the fight against terrorists to become a perpetual war. But the fact is, this fight will endure long beyond President Obama’s term of office. Future Commanders-in-Chief will need all of our tools of national power, both civilian and military, to protect our country against the evolving threat posed by Al-Qaeda and its associated forces. The President and the Congress need to work together to establish a sustainable legal framework for our counterterrorism policies. A central part of this effort must be an update of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, and I welcome the President's willingness to engage with Congress on this issue.
“America is a nation of laws, and I strongly believe that we must codify in law the principles, authorities, transparency, and limitations on the use of force that can guide our democratic nation though our current conflict, just as those same values have guided us through prior conflicts. Such legislation would be a fitting legacy for this Congress – and for President Obama.”
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