Fast Fact: Obama, Bill Clinton & Joe Biden ordered airstrikes – without explicit congressional approval – k*lling civilians, including Americans
As Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing reports over a Drone strike against drug smugglers – i.e. WAPOs ‘war crimes’ story that was debunked by the New York Times- it may be a good time to take a look back at drone strikes that k*lled civilians and were ordered by Obama, Clinton and Biden.
📷Obama:
📷Obama’s aggressive expansion of U.S. airstrikes and drone campaigns from 2009 to 2017 resulted in an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 total deaths from airstrikes – a including ~3,000–6,000 civilians and 4,000 from Drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia,
📷During Obama’s presidency the United States conducted at least 27,313 airstrikes and drone strikes across seven countries
📷Afghanistan:
Obama escalated troop levels in 2009 in the country and ordered airstrikes, including drone strikes, without Congressional approval.
#Obama
📷Iraq:
Obama ordered airstrikes starting against ISIS, bypassing Congressional authorization.
📷Syria:
Airstrikes started in September 2014 against ISIS. Obama initially sought Congressional approval in 2013 for strikes against Assad but stopped asking for approval after he was denied and decided to strike without authorization.
📷Libya:
In March 2011, Obama authorized airstrikes leading to Gaddafi’s overthrow. No Congressional approval was sought, Obama later called this a mistake, acknowledging that he didn’t have legal grounding to take action
📷Yemen:
Drone strikes started in 2009 against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. These were not authorized by a Congressional vote, and the strikes resulted in the k*lling of civilians
📷Somalia:
Airstrikes and drone strikes against al-Shabaab started in 2009. Obama did not get congressional approval
#Somalia
📷Pakistan:
Drone strikes in Waziristan started days after Obama’s inauguration in 2009, escalating to 128 strikes in 2010. No Congressional authorization was given
#Pakistan
📷Philippines:
The U.S. conducted airstrikes and drone strikes against ISIS affiliates in 2017, No specific Congressional approval was sought or given.
📷Mali:
In 2013, Obama conducted a drone strike against al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) target, following a French-led intervention. This did not have congressional approval.
📷Niger:
U.S. airstrikes started in 2016 against AQIM and ISIS affiliates with no Congressional authorization.
📷Bill Clinton
Clinton’s 1999 intervention in Yugoslavia bypassed congressional approval.
📷The 78-day bombing blitz, launched without a war declaration or War Powers Resolution compliance, inflicted heavy civilian losses amid disputed intelligence.
📷The House rejected a war resolution, yet Clinton pressed on, citing executive prerogative – a move the ACLU slammed as unconstitutional.
📷During Clinton’s eight-year tenure (1993–2001) more than 41,000 U.S.-participating airstrikes and cruise missile launches were conducted without new congressional authorization killing thousands of civilians.
📷Joe Biden
📷Biden’s 1,200 airstrikes and drone strikes without new congressional approvals claimed ~3,000–5,000 total lives, with g 200–400 civilians, a 5–10% rate from misidentified targets
