US President Barack Obama intends to use a speech at a military college this week to outline \u00cb\u0153legal framework\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 of his counterterrorism policy, including the secret targeted-killing program and the use of assassination drones in Muslim countries.\n<\/p>\n
In an address to the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s National Defense University on Thursday, Obama will \u00c5\u201creview the state of the threats we face, particularly as the al-Qaeda core has weakened but new dangers have emerged,\u201d The Washington Post<\/i> reported Sunday, citing \u00c5\u201ca White House official\u201d speaking on the condition of anonymity.\n<\/p>\n
The report, however, does not elaborate on what Obama considers as \u00cb\u0153new dangers.\u00e2\u201e\u00a2\n<\/p>\n
Obama will \u00c5\u201cdiscuss our broad counterterrorism policy, including our military, diplomatic, intelligence and legal effort\u201d as well as \u00c5\u201cthe policy and legal framework under which we take action against terrorist threats, including the use of drones,\u201d the daily adds, quoting the unnamed official.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
According to the report, Obama further plans to speak about the infamous Guantanamo detention and torture camp, his detention policy, and renewed bids to shut down the controversial military prison.<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cAnd he will review out detention policy and efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay,\u201d the official was further cited as saying.\n<\/p>\n
The daily\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s White House source is also quoted as claiming that Obama has used \u00c5\u201call tools of national power in an aggressive campaign to degrade and ultimately defeat\u201d the shadowy al-Qaeda elements, who are widely believed to be closely tied to one of Washington\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s closest Arab allies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and its Wahhabi rulers.\n<\/p>\n
The official further claimed that Obama has also insisted on enlisting \u00c5\u201cour values in this fight and act in line with the rule of law.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
This is while the Obama administration has come under growing world-wide condemnation for what has been deemed as highly secret and unlawful \u00c5\u201ccounterterrorism\u201d policy of employing assassination drones in a growing number of Muslim countries to kill \u00cb\u0153suspected terrorist,\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 including American citizens.\n<\/p>\n
In the Thursday speech, the official added, Obama \u00c5\u201cwill frame the future of our efforts against al-Qaeda, its affiliates and adherents.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The American president will deliver his speech this week amid mounting criticism over his Justice Department\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s bid to secretly gain access to phone records of US-based journalists working for the Associated Press News Agency as part of a federal probe into \u00c5\u201cnational security leaks within the administration, the report said.<\/p>\n
It further adds that Obama had intended to deliver the speech earlier this month, but postponed it due to \u00c5\u201cmounting concerns over a prisoner hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay and more recently the Justice Department leaks investigation – both of which the \u00cb\u0153revised speech\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 may address.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
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