NewsTrust - Hillary Clinton - Most Recent Stories: Opinion (Mainstream)

Osama bin Laden: US responds to questions about killing's legality

Tue, 03 May 2011 08:34:33 -0700

The Guardian - By Owen Bowcott - May. 03 - Doubts remain over manner in which al-Qaida figurehead died but US officials defend Barack Obama's actionThe chorus of official applause from international leaders over the death of Osama bin Laden has failed to silence doubts about the killing's legality.Despite widespread backing for the raid, there is a growing demand for the precise legal basis of the US operation to be explained, particularly given the absence of prior debate in the UN security council.Some are asking was it an "execution" or an "assassination"?The immediate justification for the killing was that the head of al-Qaida had long ago declared war on the US and other nations."In war you are allowed to attack your enemy," a US embassy spokesman in London said.Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, echoed Barack Obama's assertion, stating: "Osama bin Laden is dead and justice has been done."A more thorough explanation of the legal basis was given last year by Harold Hongju Koh, legal adviser at the US state department.He told a meeting of the American Society of International Law: "Some have argued that the use of lethal force against specific individuals fails to provide adequate process and thus constitutes unlawful extrajudicial killing."But a state that is engaged in an armed conflict or in legitimate self-defence is not required to provide targets with legal process before the state may use lethal force."The principles of distinction and proportionality that the US applies are …implemented rigorously throughout the planning and execution of lethal operations to ensure that such operations are conducted in accordance with all applicable law."He added: "Some have argued that our targeting practices violate domestic law, in particular, the longstanding domestic ban on assassinations."But under domestic law, the use of lawful weapons systems – consistent with the applicable laws of war – for precision targeting of specific high-level belligerent leaders when acting in self-defence or during an armed conflict is not unlawful, and hence does not constitute 'assassination'."John Bellinger III, who served as the state department's senior lawyer during George W Bush's second term as president, also insisted the strike was legitimate."The killing is not prohibited by the longstanding assassination prohibition in executive order 12333 [signed in 1981] because the action was a military action in the ongoing US armed conflict with al-Qaida and it is not prohibited to kill specific leaders of an opposing force," he wrote."The assassination prohibition also does not apply to killings in self-defence."The executive branch will also argue that the action was permissible under international law both as a permissible use of force in the US armed conflict with al-Qaida and as a legitimate action in self-defence, given that Bin Laden was clearly planning additional attacks."Human rights groups have reacted with caution. "Osama bin Laden took credit for and supported acts around the world which amounted to crimes against humanity," said Claudio Cordone, senior director at Amnesty International."He also inspired others to commit grave human rights abuses. His death will put an end to his role in organising or inspiring such criminal acts."We do not know the full circumstances of his killing and the others with him and we are looking into that."One area of anxiety is the suggestion that the intelligence needed to locate Bin Laden's refuge might have been obtained through torture of suspects detained at Guantánamo Bay or other secret holding centres.Whether or not the Pakistan government authorised the assault on its territory might technically affect the legality of the operation under international law.But the enthusiastic support of the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, for the killing is likely to silence any critical voices in the security council."The death of Osama bin Laden … is a watershed moment in our common global fight against terrorism," Ban said. "Personally, I am very much relieved by the news that justice has been done."Osama bin Ladenal-QaidaPakistanHillary ClintonUS politicsUnited StatesUnited NationsAmnesty InternationalBan Ki-moonGlobal terrorismInternational criminal justiceObama administrationUS foreign policyUS militaryOwen Bowcottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

NewsTrust Rating: 4.0 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Op-Ed Columnist: Reality Check

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:21:04 -0800

New York Times - By By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN - Dec. 11 (Opinion) - America must get out of the way so Israelis and Palestinians can see clearly, without any obstructions, what reckless choices their leaders are making.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.0 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Israeli minister warns of new offensive against Gaza

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:54:42 -0700

Daily Telegraph - Sep. 15 - Cabinet minister given warning after Palestinian militants launch the most sustained barrage of rocket and mortar fire in 18 months.

NewsTrust Rating: 2.0 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

The Generals' Revolt

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:07:22 -0800

Rolling Stone - Nov. 04 -

NewsTrust Rating: 4.2 average - 5 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Free Speech and ‘Hillary: The Movie’

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - Sep. 09 (Interview) - Does the application of campaign finance laws to “Hillary: The Movie” violate free speech rights? What are the implications for electoral politics if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Citizens United?

NewsTrust Rating: 4.2 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Clintons’ gooey bliss confounds the cynics

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The Times - By Tony Allen-Mills - Apr. 26 (Opinion) - Spring was in the air in New York and Bill and Hillary Clinton were out on the town with Chelsea, their daughter. At the Café Carlyle, the New York Post reported solemnly, they sat “holding hands” while listening to the cabaret. A few days later the Clintons were in Washington. This time they were seen walking hand-in-hand down MacArthur Boulevard after an intimate dinner at a popular restaurant.

NewsTrust Rating: 2.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Secretary Clinton's safety dance

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The Politico - By David S. Cloud - Mar. 08 (Opinion) - The way to think about what kind of secretary of state Hillary Clinton will be is to remember what she did after coming to the Senate eight years ago. While some of her new colleagues feared the former First Lady would be a dilettante who disdained legislating, she surprised them by plunging into the details of the job and gradually earned a reputation as one of the Senate's most substantive members. She displayed the same style in her weeklong trip to the Middle East and Europe this week, and it was a sharp contrast to her approach on her maiden trip as secretary to Asia in February, where she made headlines with frank and sometimes jarring comments playing down the importance of human rights in the U.S.-China relationship and speculating about a possible succession struggle in North Korea.

NewsTrust Rating: 2.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

5 secretaries of State advise Hillary Clinton

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Los Angeles Times - By Marjorie Miller - Dec. 07 (Opinion) - Hillary Rodham Clinton will have no shortage of issues to take on as secretary of State. She steps into the job amid a global economic meltdown and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On top of that, she must address the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while managing complex relations with Russia and China. And there are the perennial issues of hunger and disease in Africa, drugs in Latin America and the nuclear threat worldwide. How can one person manage it all? Times editorial writer Marjorie Miller asked five former secretaries of State what advice they had for Clinton in her new job. What follows are edited transcripts of their counsel.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.7 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

What's Behind Barack Obama's Consideration of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State?

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

New York Magazine - By John Heilemann - Nov. 22 (Opinion) - So it appears that we’re about to embark on a new chapter in the Obama-Clinton saga. Motivating the characters is a blend of cold-eyed calculation and gauzy idealism; selfishness and selflessness; the good, the bad, and the ugly—all the stuff that’s made the drama in which they have co-starred as operatic, twisted, and riveting as any in modern political history.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.4 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Appointing Hillary secretary of state would be so un-Clintonian

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Seattle Post Intelligencer - By Maureen Dowd - Nov. 18 (Opinion) - There are Obama aides and supporters who are upset that The One who won on change has ushered in deja vu all over again. The man who vowed to deliver us from 28 years of Bushes and Clintons has been stocking up on Clintonites. How, one may ask, can he put Hillary -- who voted to authorize the Iraq war without even reading the intelligence assessment -- in charge of patching up a foreign policy and a world riven by that war?

NewsTrust Rating: 4.0 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

The Test

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

New Yorker - By Steve Coll - Nov. 03 (Opinion) - The campaign of 2008 was notable for its misleading narratives about how Presidents are tested. From the wacky competition over 3 A.M. phone calls to McCain’s alleged campaign suspension, it was suggested repeatedly that Presidents are best measured by their day-to-day crisis-management skills. Of course, sound judgment under pressure is essential to a successful Presidency, and its absence can prove disastrous (see Bush, post-Afghanistan; see Bush, post-Katrina). Coolheadedness on its own is sometimes enough to earn lasting gratitude (see Kennedy, Cuban missile crisis). Yet, great Presidencies can arise only from great causes. To define them and deliver on them is the truer test of the officeholder.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.0 average - 3 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Hillary Made Obama a Better Candidate

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Wall Street Journal - By Lanny J. Davis - Oct. 17 (Opinion) - The anti-Hillary Clinton pundits were sounding the theme a few months ago that by staying in the presidential race through June 3, the former first lady was a divisive force that would irreparably harm Barack Obama's chances of capturing the White House. But now Mrs. Clinton's decision to stay in the race until the last primary has been vindicated. Mr. Obama is a stronger candidate today thanks to Mrs. Clinton's pursuit of the Democratic nomination. And, far from being polarizing, she has helped bring the party together more than at any time in recent memory.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.6 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

The Real '08 Fight: Clinton v. Palin?

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Patrick Healy - Sep. 06 (Opinion) - The question is, will Mrs. Clinton fight Ms. Palin to help her former rival, Mr. Obama? Clinton advisers say that Mrs. Clinton wants to do everything she can to elect Mr. Obama, so that she cannot be blamed if he loses -- yet she also does not want to be too closely associated with him if he does lose, nor to tarnish her own image by taking on a rookie national politician like Ms. Palin and possibly coming up short.

NewsTrust Rating: 2.7 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Mr. Darcy Comes Courting

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:35:00 -0700

New York Times - By Maureen Dowd - Aug. 03 (Opinion) - It is a truth universally acknowledged that Barack Obama must continue to grovel to Hillary Clinton's dead-enders, some of whom mutter darkly that they will not only not vote for him, they will never vote for a man again. Obama met for an hour Tuesday with three dozen top Hillaryites at a hotel here, seeking their endorsement and beguiling their begrudging. He opened the session by saying that he knew there had been frustration about what they saw as sexism during the primary. The Los Angeles Times reported that Hillary die-hards want to enshrine a whine in the Democratic platform about how the primaries "exposed pervasive gender bias in the media" and call on party leaders to take "immediate and public steps" to denounce any perceived bias in the future. That is one nutty idea. Perhaps it is because feminists are still so busy cataloging past slights to Hillary that they have failed to mount a vivid defense of Michelle Obama, who has taken over from Hillary as the one conservatives like to paint as a harridan.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.3 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

A Clintonian at Fox

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Jim Rutenberg - Jul. 07 (Opinion) - Howard Wolfson, who was a top strategist for the presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, is going where some Democrats were unwilling to go during the early days of the election season: the Fox News Channel.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.8 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Do Angry Clinton Women Love McCain?

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Frank Rich - Jun. 15 (Opinion) - Ten years ago John McCain had to apologize for regaling a Republican audience with a crude sexual joke about Hillary and Chelsea Clinton and Janet Reno. Last year he had to explain why he didn't so much as flinch when a supporter asked him on camera, "How do we beat the bitch?"

NewsTrust Rating: 4.1 average - 5 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Clinton Exits Race, Endorses Obama

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

CNN - By Hillary Clinton - Jun. 07 (Speech) - (VIDEO - 3:13) Clinton: "We need to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama ... that's exactly what we're going to do, to insure that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office in January 2009."

NewsTrust Rating: 4.3 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

A thrilling but flawed campaign nears its end

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Independent - Jun. 02 (Opinion) - The democratic process is not something that can, or should, be set in stone. To adjust the rules while a campaign is in progress, however, is to invite trouble. George Bush's own election showed how a combination of poor systems, ruthless ambition, sharp lawyers and a sympathetic court could subvert US democracy. It is not something that bears repetition, even when it is the nomination, rather than the presidency itself, that is at stake.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.1 average - 7 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Q&A: Florida and Michigan Delegates

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Kate Phillips, Katharine Q. Seelye - May. 30 (Opinion) - On Saturday, the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee is set to consider proposals about Florida and Michigan. The D.N.C.'s legal team says that by their reading of the rules, the panel has the authority to reinstate 50 percent of the states' delegate strength, either by including half the delegations or by seating the full delegations but giving them only half a vote. (See below for an update from the Clinton campaign, which disagrees with the party's legal minds on the boundaries of the committee's authority and is insisting that tomorrow's panel has the authority to seat the full delegations. And the Clinton camp also plans to contest any allocation of those "uncommitted" votes in Michigan.)

NewsTrust Rating: 4.4 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Clinton, you invoked a political nightmare

Sat, 24 May 2008 09:00:30 -0700

MSNBC - By Keith Olbermann - May. 24 (Opinion) - Asked if her continuing fight for the nomination against Senator Obama hurts the Democratic party, Sen. Hillary Clinton replied, "I don't. Because again, I've been around long enough. You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know, I just don't understand it. You know, there's lots of speculation about why it is. "

NewsTrust Rating: 3.2 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Make wearing a flag pin the 28th Amendment

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

CNN - May. 20 (Opinion) - When is the last time you watched a mindless movie that had no redeeming value for you intellectually, but all it did was make you laugh? That perfectly describes the raging debate among voters and the rabid television and radio talk show hosts who love to yell and scream from the top of their lungs, "I'm an American, and by golly, you better show as much appreciation for this country as I do!"

NewsTrust Rating: 4.1 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Now On to 'Florigan'

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Newsweek - By Jonathan Alter - May. 13 (Opinion) - The math is clear: Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for president unless he's caught on tape taking cash from Tony Rezko or vacationing in Hawaii with Louis Farrakhan. But the only thing dependable about the Clintons is that they never quit.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.4 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Quitters Never Win

Sat, 10 May 2008 06:35:00 -0700

Washington Post - By Ellen R. Malcolm - May. 10 (Opinion) - When I was growing up in the 1960s, I wanted to play basketball. In those days, the rules said girls could dribble only three steps and then had to pass the ball. To make sure we didn't overexert ourselves, we weren't allowed to cross the half-court line.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.5 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Seeds of Destruction

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:05:00 -0700

New York Times - By Bob Herbert - May. 10 (Opinion) - The Clintons have never understood how to exit the stage gracefully. -- Their repertoire has always been deficient in grace and class. So there was Hillary Clinton cold-bloodedly asserting to USA Today that she was the candidate favored by "hard-working Americans ...

NewsTrust Rating: 3.3 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

American democracy in all its filthy glory

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Independent - By Matthew Norman - May. 09 (Opinion) - From 3 January, when the caucus-goers of Iowa packed into each other's houses to argue the toss with courteous fervour, all the way to Tuesday when the good people of Indiana glanced contemptuously at her "gas tax holiday" bribe and told her where to stick the nozzle, it's been a continual source of both wonderment and gloom.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.4 average - 5 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer