Drones and strange bedfellows: Why neocons are showing Obama some love

And why liberals are starting to turn a cold shoulder. As John Brennan heads into his confirmation hearing, it's apparently opposite day in Washington

President Obama nominates "kill list overseer" John Brennan to become the new CIA director.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Finally, President Obama's ramped-up drone war is big news, says Conor Friedersdorf at The Atlantic. With "kill list overseer John Brennan" facing his CIA directorship confirmation hearing Thursday, and threatened resistance from some senators, the White House leaked a white paper outlining its justification for drone strikes against al Qaeda leaders — even U.S. citizens — and agreed to show its secret legal rationale to the congressional intelligence committees. So, "how is everyone reacting to the unprecedented attention being paid to drone strikes?"

Some neoconservatives have suddenly begun defending the president. John Bolton, former ambassador to the UN, says the drone program "appears to be consistent with the policies of the Bush administration," in which he served. Max Boot of Commentary insists Obama's drone memo is a "careful, responsible document." I'd half expect John Yoo to start praising Obama if he weren't busy "turning away in disgust" at the McRib's disappearance from his local McDonald's. Dick Cheney has yet to comment. Meanwhile, President Obama is getting more criticism than usual from normally friendly quarters. [The Atlantic]

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.