In September of 2011, Obama appointed David Petraeus as Director of the CIA. This was extraordinary at the time, because the CIA directorship had always traditionally been held by a civilian appointee and Petraeus was the Pentagon’s chief warfighting general.
At the same time, Obama had also allotted 10,000 drones for use by the CIA. This, also, was extraordinary at the time because while the CIA often worked together with the military on joint operations, the military always retained control of the weapons and assets.
In addition, Obama authorized changes in the rules of engagement that allowed for “signature strikes” (i.e. targeting people that looked like they were ‘militants’), the targeting of cell phones alleged to belong to ‘terrorists,’ and “double taps” (i.e. striking a target a second time with the objective of killing any first responders offering aid).
By giving the CIA a massive drone force, then appointing the chief warfighting general as CIA director, and then removing any real restrictions on targeting, Obama turned the CIA into an international murder-machine with global reach.
Wake me up when a Democrat – any Democrat – cares one whit about this.
His body recovered from his torment and became hale,
but the shadow of his pain was in his heart;
and he lived to wield his sword with left hand
more deadly than his right had been.
