BBC– Armed US Predator drones are set to carry out missions in Libya, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said.

Mr Gates said their use had been authorised by President Barack Obama and would give “precision capability” to the military operation.

US drones are already used to target militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Libyan rebels have been battling Col Gaddafi’s troops since February but have recently made little headway.

“President Obama has said that where we have some unique capabilities, he is willing to use those,” Mr Gates told a news conference.

 He said two armed, unmanned Predators were being made available to Nato as needed.

 Mr Gates denied that the drone deployment was evidence of “mission creep” in Libya and said there was no plan to put US “boots on the ground” in Libya.

 He said they marked a “modest contribution” to the military operations.

 Gen James Cartwright, vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the first mission had taken place on Thursday but turned back due to bad weather.

 He said the drones – which can fly at a lower altitude than conventional fighter jets – were “uniquely suited for urban areas”, providing improved visibility of tanks and other potential targets.

Read more about Libya: US drones to carry out missions.

© 2011 BBC

Photo by flickr user balazsgardi

BET– As the 2012 presidential elections draws closer, the arguments for and against President Obama grow more heated. Last night, an outright shouting match between two of America’s most notable Black leaders—Cornel West and Al Sharpton—gave an indication as to just how important this election will be.

West, a Princeton professor and author, and Sharpton, a controversial civil rights icon, sat on a panel of experts on the Ed Schultz-led special program A Stronger America: The Black Agenda. The talk soon turned to what African-Americans can and should expect from Obama. Sharpton, whose recent National Action Network conference saw an Obama cameo, believes people are being too hard on the president. West vehemently disagreed.

Read full article about Cornel West Calls Obama Mascot of Wall Street Oligarchs.

© 2011 BET

Photo by flickr user Joe Crimmings

LOS ANGELES TIMES– The system of military commissions that will try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other alleged 9/11 plotters contains a dirty little secret. Hardly anybody talks about it, but it’s a key reason for concern as the apparatus becomes established.

It is this: The commissions can operate inside the United States, and they have jurisdiction over a broad range of crimes. Nothing in the Military Commissions Act limits the military trials to Guantanamo detainees, or to people captured and held abroad, or even to terrorism suspects. Nothing prevents the commissions from trying noncitizens, arrested inside the country, whom the president unilaterally designates as “unprivileged enemy belligerents.” In other words, the law permits military officers to try non-Americans from Alabama and Arkansas as well as Afghanistan.

The Obama administration’s decision last week to shift the high-profile 9/11 case from federal court is bound to move the military system toward legitimacy. The commissions lack the seasoned body of precedent that guides civilian courts, so their procedures will have to survive litigation by defense lawyers. But once the commissions gain stature and become the “new normal,” every future administration will have a ready instrument to arrest, judge and sentence wholly within the executive branch, evading the separation of powers carefully calibrated in the Constitution. The judicial branch has no role except on appeal, where only the federal court for the D.C. circuit may review a verdict and sentence after the trial.

Read full article about 9/11 Trials at Guantanamo Will Create a Distressing Legacy.

© 2011 LA TIMES

Photo by Brennan Linsley Pool, Reuters

MEDIA ROOTS– As the mainstream media failed abysmally in their role as public watchdogs during the Bush administration, the Daily Show and Colbert Report, although comedy based, seemed like two of the last bastions of a semi fourth estate.

Although their shows still propped up the establishment, Stewart didn’t hold back on calling out Republican rhetoric and hypocrisy. Now, despite a few joking jabs about the Obama administration, Jon Stewart’s overall performance and critique of government since Obama got elected has been disappointing at best.

On the night of Barack Obama’s inauguration, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart actually cried tears of joy during a live broadcast of the Daily Show. After that, I didn’t have much hope for the show to maintain the same ingenuity and credibility.

However, Stewart has been making some scathing criticisms leveled towards Obama lately that have been on point (can’t say the same for Colbert after he went all Army on us and shaved his head for the troops).

The most recent critique was on last night’s show pointing out how ridiculous it is for Obama to win an award for “transparency” while at the same time shrouding the acceptance of the award in secrecy. Stewart also accurately points out that Obama has gone after whistle blowers more aggressively than any President since Nixon.

Abby

Photo by flikr user Joint Chief of Staff