Drone Memo Puts Brennan on Spot

Brennan: "Al Qaeda is an organization that is dedicated to murder and wanton slaughter of innocents... They attract individuals like Mr. Abdulmutallab and use them for these types of attacks. He was motivated by a sense of religious sort of drive. Unfortunately, al Qaeda has perverted Islam, and has corrupted the concept of Islam, so that he's (sic) able to attract these individuals. But al Qaeda has the agenda of destruction and death."

Thomas: "And you're saying it's because of religion?"

Brennan: "I'm saying it's because of an al Qaeda organization that used the banner of religion in a very perverse and corrupt way."

Thomas: "Why?"

Brennan: "I think this is a -- long issue, but al Qaeda is just determined to carry out attacks here against the homeland."

Thomas: "But you haven't explained why."

Leading off that press conference, President Obama had not done any better than Brennan in getting to what motivates terrorists. Before relinquishing the podium to Brennan, Obama had said:

"It is clear that al Qaeda increasingly seeks to recruit individuals without known terrorist affiliations ... to do their bidding. ... And that's why we must communicate clearly to Muslims around the world that al Qaeda offers nothing except a bankrupt vision of misery and death ... while the United States stands with those who seek justice and progress. ... That's the vision that is far more powerful than the hatred of these violent extremists."

But why it is so hard for Muslims to "get" that message? Why can't they end their preoccupation with dodging U.S. missiles in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia long enough to reflect on how we are only trying to save them from terrorists while simultaneously demonstrating our commitment to "justice and progress?"

Slow Learner But Some Progress

In a major speech on April 30, 2012 on drones and killing, Brennan did share one profound insight: "Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns." His answer to that? "The precision of targeted [drone] strikes."

Did Brennan really mean to suggest that local populations are more accepting of unmanned drones buzzing overhead and firing missiles at the push of a button by a "pilot" halfway around the world?

Brennan is on a first-name basis with some of the leaders of Yemen. Have they not told him that the number of al-Qaeda members and sympathizers has more than tripled under the impact of three years of U.S. airstrikes initially disingenuously disguised as conducted by the Yemeni armed forces?

One can only hope that some senator on the Senate Intelligence Committee will show the mettle of Helen Thomas and ask real questions about the counterproductive results stemming from the tactics favored by Brennan in countering terrorism.