Bernie Sanders Says He Wouldn’t End Drone Program

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. (Robert F. Bukaty / AP)

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., would not put a stop to the United States’ lethal and controversial drone campaign if he entered the White House, the presidential contender said in a television interview Sunday.

On ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” Sanders said, “I think we have to use drones very, very selectively and effectively. That has not always been the case.” He added, “What you can argue is that there are times and places where drone attacks have been effective. … There are times and places where they have been absolutely countereffective and have caused more problems than they have solved. When you kill innocent people, the end result is that people in the region become anti-American who otherwise would not have been.”

From The Hill:

Sanders indicated that he would limit the use of drones so that they do not end up killing innocent people abroad, but declined to say that he would end the targeted killing campaign completely.

Sanders — whose bid for the White House has been gaining support in recent weeks — has largely steered clear of national security and foreign policy issues, instead preferring to discuss domestic policies.

On Sunday, he said the campaign is “going to spend more time on” foreign policy in coming months, noting that the presidential election season is still young.

“I promise you, we’ll address it,” he said.

President Obama’s escalation of the drone campaign against suspected terrorists in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere has inflamed some of his critics on the left. Critics accuse the White House of exacerbating global extremism and of illegally killing Americans, including Anwar al-Awlaki, who were never given a trial.