The line to praise the Obama administration’s approval of drone strikes on American civilians overseas forms on the Left. We wouldn’t have pegged MSNBC host Touré as a fan of unmanned drone attacks, particularly as he has often criticized the War on Terror and claimed that treating people with respect was the best way to defeat Al-Qaeda. At least it was, until President Obama seemed to suggest it wasn’t.
On today’s edition of “The Cycle,” Touré argued that he was “comfortable” with Obama’s reliance on drones, declaring flatly, “Al Qaeda attacked this nation. We are attacking Al Qaeda back” and suggesting that the United States “attack them in the best way that we can.” (Mediaite has the video.) Twitter followers on the Left and Right were quick to call out Touré on what looked like a very sudden change of heart.
What on earth @Toure? You have just advocated for giving our government carte blanche to kill its citizens as it sees fit.
— Lizz "Human Capital Stock" Winstead (@lizzwinstead) February 5, 2013
https://twitter.com/kirstenpowers10/status/298918146721607681
https://twitter.com/Toure/status/298922134175096832
He didn’t always seem so comfortable, at least not publicly before today. Could it have something to do with the current occupant of the White House? Will “He’s the Commander in Chief” become the new “What difference does it make?”
https://twitter.com/Toure/status/298925049115709441
https://twitter.com/Toure/status/298927438153539584
https://twitter.com/Toure/status/298929198150606848
#Neocon RT @Toure Obama as Commander in Chief is tasked w/leading our war against Al Qaeda.He can & should kill AQ leaders whenever possible
— jon gabriel (@exjon) February 5, 2013
https://twitter.com/seanagnew/status/298949081135464449
https://twitter.com/seanagnew/status/298945714183106561
@ExJon @Toure Dr. Strangelib (Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Drone)
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) February 5, 2013
This happened. RT @Toure No. RT @mchastain81: Dear @Toure. A US citizen is allowed due process no matter what they have done.
— Calamity J. West (@StevieJWest) February 6, 2013
https://twitter.com/kiradavis422/status/298945169498189824
Where was @Toure's "he's the commander in chief" stuff when Bush ordered waterboarding? http://t.co/b1CAuqlf #tcot #p2
— RBe (@RBPundit) February 5, 2013
@RBPundit => @Toure was calling for Bush to be tried for High Crimes for playing frat pranks on detainees to collect intel only 5 yrs ago.
— Rick (@StrokesofCandor) February 5, 2013
https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedAndrew/status/298932380595544064
https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/298951402506563584
.@toure has just proven for me that some people will say *anything* to defend Obama. Anything.
— David Freddoso (@freddoso) February 5, 2013
* * *
Update:
We wondered above if “He’s the Commander in Chief” would start making the rounds, and it looks like it’s on its way. It works for just about anything.
Dear @toure: can Obama use drones and blow up Gitmo and all the terrorists?
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) February 6, 2013
He's the commander in chief. RT @GPollowitz Dear @toure: can Obama use drones and blow up Gitmo and all the terrorists?
— Jim Jamitis ???? (@JimJamitis) February 6, 2013
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