John Bolton on Obama Drone Policy: Entirely Sensible, Extension of Bush Policies

Obama's counter-terror policies break ground Bush could only dream of

The former U.S ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton had some rare praise for President Obama, and specifically for his expansive drone war. Via Mediaite:

"It seems to me that the approach that the Obama administration is following is consistent with and really derived from the Bush administration approach to the War on Terror," Bolton told [Fox News] host Jenna Lee. "And I think it is entirely sensible. Whether it is foreign citizens who are involved with Al Qaeda or American citizens, we are in a war. They have attacked us. We have a congressional authorization to use military force in response. And that's what's at stake here."

Bolton, of course, is no fan of Obama, having previously accused the president of appeasing America's nemeses the world over. Last August he said:

"We have a president who believes that our strength is provocative, only if we were less pushy, less American even," said Bolton during a speech before the Florida delegation at the Innisbrook Golf and Spa Resort. "But it is American weakness that's provocative and we have a very provocative president in the White House."

By Bolton's definition, the U.S. drone war, which may have killed more than 1,000 civilians and is in fact creating new militants isn't provocative at all.

While Bolton may view Obama's prosecution of the war on terror as derivative of George Bush's, it also pushes the envelope further than Bush appeared to try.