Katrina vanden Heuvel: What to ask a secretary of state nominee
from the WaPo:
By Katrina vanden Heuvel
Dec 18, 2012 01:40 PM EST
The Washington Post Tuesday, December 18, 8:40 AM
The nomination of a secretary of state gives the Senate the opportunity to probe the administration’s foreign policy priorities — and many of President Obama’s policies demand inquiry. Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who have disgracefully sniped at U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, have expressed few coherent reservations about our current course. Instead, it will be incumbent on Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — particularly Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Bob Casey (Pa.) and Tom Udall (N.M.) — to lead a responsible review.
Here are only a few of the questions that senators could ask the nominee.
●Presidential war making: Are there any limits to the president’s war powers in the so-called war on terror? Contrary to expectations, President Obama has broadened George W. Bush’s view that the congressional resolution authorizing pursuit of al-Qaeda after 9/11 gives the president the right to attack any suspect group in any country of the world for as long as there are terrorists — or essentially forever. That prerogative is said to include the power to identify, target and kill anyone — including U.S. citizens — the president decides poses a terrorist threat to the United States.
How would the nominee reconcile this assertion with the Constitution? How would he or she suggest the Congress enforce accountability on a president who mistakenly targets and kills an innocent U.S. citizen? ..............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/katrina-vanden-heuvel-what-to-ask-a-secretary-of-state-nominee/2012/12/17/eb9dead2-487d-11e2-ad54-580638ede391_story.html