Of all of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign promises, among the most compelling was his vow to restore “rule of law” to America’s counterterrorism policy. The overly aggressive policies of George W. Bush, Obama said, led the United States to “act contrary to our traditions.” Rejecting as “false the choice between our security and our ideals,” Obama promised to reverse Bush administration excesses and craft new counterterrorism policies “consistent with our values and our Constitution.”
Nearly two years into his presidency, and despite early declarations of success in fashioning a new course, the Obama administration’s counterterrorism policies are strikingly similar to—and in some cases even more aggressive than—those under Bush.
