During tonight’s State of the Union, President Obama informed the country that it needs to move off permanent “war-footing.” Instead we need to build up our foreign partners but provided no further details about what that might look like.
The President went on to pledge he will “reform our surveillance” programs, however in the context of his remarks, he is referring to FOREIGN surveillance, and as of yet, he has said nothing of the NSA’s domestic dragnet.
Obama also claimed he has put “prudent limits on the use of drones.”
“So, even as we aggressively pursue terrorist networks – through more targeted efforts and by building the capacity of our foreign partners – America must move off a permanent war footing. That’s why I’ve imposed prudent limits on the use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence. That’s why, working with this Congress, I will reform our surveillance programs – because the vital work of our intelligence community depends on public confidence, here and abroad, that the privacy of ordinary people is not being violated. And with the Afghan war ending, this needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay – because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and military action, but by remaining true to our Constitutional ideals, and setting an example for the rest of the world.”
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