Obama Admin Cites 'Int'l Permission,' Not Congress, As 'Legal Basis' For Action In Syria
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
We all know Obama likes to outsource work and does not believe as much in national sovereignty as he does in giving power over our actions to foreigners. This was the principle he followed when he sought permission from the Arab League to engage in actions to oust Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. He never sought Congressional authority under the War Powers Act to go to war in Libya. There were excuses that this ignoring of Congress was due to time pressures -- the need to act quickly to save lives. But apparently this has now become the Obama Doctrine -- if one is believe testimony from both Chief of Staff General Martin Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Under question from Sen. Sessions at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey indicated that "international permission," rather than Congressional approval, provided a 'legal basis' for military action by the United States. Here is the brief (7 minute long) YouTube video of their testimony.
The twitter that pointed this out to me (from Iowahawk... one of America's great satirists) stated that this might be the most inane 7 minutes of Congressional testimony one is likely to hear. The focus is on the need for "international permission" (such as from NATO and the United Nations) or legitimacy from international law before the American military will use force. Dempsey does note that America can defend itself without such restrictions.
But they are apparently sending a message to our allies -- and one imperiled ally in particular -- that we will not help you militarily to defend yourselves. Israel in particular must be questioning whether they can trust this administration -- especially when President Obama has already backtracked on his campaign-like promise to have Israel's "back" in its efforts to protect its people from the Iranian nuclear program. There are no assurances given by Barack Obama that can ever be relied upon.
President Obama is apparently fine with Iran developing the capability to build a nuclear weapon but indicated he might consider military means to stop them if they are detected as actually assembling a bomb.
Of course, how would we ever know when this is happening? It could be done underground, in a garage, in what looks like a school. Can we really assume our intelligence is that skilled?
A thought experiment: we miraculously find out the regime is assembling a nuclear weapon, an assembly that could be done in a very brief amount of time.
Then what? According to Dempsey and Panetta, America would have to seek international permission to strike Iran. How long does any rational person think it would take for the United Nations to give America permission to take out Iran's nuclear bombs? Why do I think the answer is never?
Panetta and Dempsey have just sent a message that the feckless international community has a veto over our military forces.
The Iranians are listening and so are the Israelis.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/03/the_obama_doctrin...
The United States has ceded control of its affairs to international bureaucrats
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Alex Jones: “This represents absolute 100 per cent proof that the military industrial complex which runs the United States is under the control of foreign central banks who are imposing a military dictatorship.”
The Pentagon is engaging in damage control after shocking testimony yesterday by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at a Senate Armed Services Committee congressional hearing during which it was confirmed that the U.S. government is now completely beholden to international power structures and that the legislative branch is a worthless relic.
During the hearing yesterday Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey brazenly admitted that their authority comes not from the U.S. Constitution, but that the United States is subservient to and takes its marching orders from the United Nations and NATO, international bodies over which the American people have no democratic influence.
Panetta was asked by Senator Jeff Sessions, “We spend our time worrying about the U.N., the Arab League, NATO and too little time, in my opinion, worrying about the elected r...
The United States has ceded control of its affairs to international bureaucrats
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Alex Jones: “This represents absolute 100 per cent proof that the military industrial complex which runs the United States is under the control of foreign central banks who are imposing a military dictatorship.”
The Pentagon is engaging in damage control after shocking testimony yesterday by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at a Senate Armed Services Committee congressional hearing during which it was confirmed that the U.S. government is now completely beholden to international power structures and that the legislative branch is a worthless relic.
During the hearing yesterday Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey brazenly admitted that their authority comes not from the U.S. Constitution, but that the United States is subservient to and takes its marching orders from the United Nations and NATO, international bodies over which the American people have no democratic influence.
Panetta was asked by Senator Jeff Sessions, “We spend our time worrying about the U.N., the Arab League, NATO and too little time, in my opinion, worrying about the elected representatives of the United States. As you go forward, will you consult with the United States Congress?”
The Defense Secretary responded “You know, our goal would be to seek international permission. And we would come to the Congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this, whether or not we would want to get permission from the Congress.”
Despite Sessions’ repeated efforts to get Panetta to acknowledge that the United States Congress is supreme to the likes of NATO and the UN, Panetta exalted the power of international bodies over the US legislative branch.
“I’m really baffled by the idea that somehow an international assembly provides a legal basis for the United States military to be deployed in combat,” Sessions said. “I don’t believe it’s close to being correct. They provide no legal authority. The only legal authority that’s required to deploy the United States military is of the Congress and the president and the law and the Constitution.”
Panetta’s assertion that he would seek “international permission” before ‘informing’ Congress about the actions of the US military provoked a firestorm of controversy, prompting the Pentagon to engage in damage control by claiming Panetta’s comments were misinterpreted.
“He was re-emphasizing the need for an international mandate. We are not ceding U.S. decision-making authority to some foreign body,” a defense official told CNN.
However, this is not the first time that the authority of international bodies has been framed as being superior to the US Congress and the Constitution.
In June last year, President Obama arrogantly expressed his hostility to the rule of law when he dismissed the need to get congressional authorization to commit the United States to a military intervention in Libya, churlishly dismissing criticism and remarking, “I don’t even have to get to the Constitutional question.”
Obama tried to legitimize his failure to obtain Congressional approval for military involvement by sending a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner in which he said the military assault was “authorized by the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council.”
Panetta’s testimony that the US looks to obtain “international permission” before it acts, allied with Obama citing the UN as the supreme authority while trashing the power of Congress, prove that the United States has ceded control over its own affairs to unelected international bureaucrats, just as the countries of the European Union have done likewise.
Sebailius trips up and admits Egobama gave the "Health Dictator" the authority to tell Americans how many kids they can have just like in communist China.
And today Brietbart.com reveals a hidden tape of Egobama leading a racist protest in 1990 when he was still a law student.
It looks like Egobama might wish he was vetted back in 2007.