Amazingly, the “entirely hypothetical,” “unlikely” and “extraordinary” circumstance that inspired Sen. Rand Paul’s epic 13-hour filibuster in March demanding answers on the Obama administration’s domestic drone program is proving to have real-life repercussions just a month later. Would it be legal for the administration to use lethal military force against an American citizen in an emergency situation, such as to prevent a terrorist attack?
Sen. Lindsay Graham suggested such an approach today on Twitter, although he was careful to use words like “could” and “may.”
If captured, I hope Administration will at least consider holding the Boston suspect as enemy combatant for intelligence gathering purposes.
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) April 19, 2013
If the #Boston suspect has ties to overseas terror organizations he could be treasure trove of information.
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) April 19, 2013
The last thing we may want to do is read Boston suspect Miranda Rights telling him to "remain silent."
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) April 19, 2013
The Obama Administration needs to be contemplating these issues and should not rush into a bad decision.
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) April 19, 2013
The backlash against Graham — some partisan, some not — was immediate.
Sorry @GrahamBlog but Tsarnaev is an American citizen, he has the same rights that you do.
— Doug Mataconis (@dmataconis) April 19, 2013
Lindsey Graham tweet demanding drones over Watertown coming in 3, 2, 1…
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/NoahPollak/status/325375610635558912
‘It sure would be nice to have a drone up there.’ Republican Senator Lindsey Graham
on Boston manhunt. http://t.co/F8UwPem37F— Stephen Wicary (@wicary) April 19, 2013
WHAT THE FUCK RT @DylanByers These two tweets from Graham are indeed breathtaking. http://t.co/xyRvP2iJly
— Ali Gharib (@Ali_Gharib) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/tollie/status/325364610079272960
Lindsey Graham Attacks the Constitution http://t.co/59wN234kUJ #UniteBlue
— Arthur Pedicini (@ArthurA_P) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/benjy/status/325362833049124865
Am I crazy or did Sen. Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) just tweet that the Constitution shouldn't apply to a US citizen captured on US soil?
— Sanjay Murti (@sanjaymurti) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/jasonpbecker/status/325361909585022977
Lindsey Graham thinks reading a terrorist his Miranda rights is a bad idea but letting them buy AR-15s at a flea market is fine.
— Jason Stanford (@JasStanford) April 19, 2013
Anyone who needs to witness to extent of racism in America needs to see Senator Graham's latest tweets: @GrahamBlog
— tas (@13monsters) April 19, 2013
Dear Republicans: the problems people have with your party can be perfectly emphasized by @GrahamBlog’s last 5 tweets.
— Carter Dotson (@jcarterdotson) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/Brantre123/status/325359776311689216
Republicans? Even liberal Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald acknowledges that the Obama administration had argued that it had the right to use lethal military force against an American citizen involved in terrorist activity on American soil, and it took a filibuster by Republican senators (not Graham, however — he was at dinner with President Obama) to clarify Attorney General Holder’s position.
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/statuses/325355797599100928
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/325361020874936320
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/325359308906844160
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/325370668214538240
Anyone hatin' on Lindsey Graham about rollback of miranda rights, hate to break it to ya but Obama signed that into law in 2011.
— Mechelle (@Mechelle_68) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/andylevy/statuses/325360078045728769
@bluetexantweets @ggreenwald If Obama said what Graham just did, using drones and such, "liberals" would be clapping like a seal right now.
— Tony Hrvatska ?? (@tonybalogna) April 19, 2013
https://twitter.com/MKusiawski/status/325371476217843713
While Graham is taking a beating for his tweets, Obama is keeping relatively quiet. Is he considering Graham’s advice? Would he dare say so?
https://twitter.com/Btwall60/status/325354210763866114
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