Cardin won’t ‘second-guess’ Obama on aid worker killed

Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said Thursday he would not “second-guess” President Obama’s actions with regard to the American hostage killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation against al Qaeda in January.

The White House said Thursday that Warren Weinstein, a Maryland resident, had been killed during the strike on a compound near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

{mosads}Cardin was asked whether the president could have done more to get Weinstein back.

“We’re dealing here with a terrorist organization that its network is not exactly clear as to how they want to operate in regards to the hostages that they have,” Cardin said on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.” “So I’m not going to second-guess the president. I can tell you that obviously this is a very, very sad day. It’s a sad day for all of us.”

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said at his Thursday briefing that the president did not personally approve the counterterrorism operation, though he said the vetting for the operation was in line with administration policy.

“There are policies and protocols in place for our counterterrorism professionals to make decisions about carrying out these types of operations,” he said.

Though the Weinstein family thanked their elected officials and law enforcement for their attempts to return Weinstein to the U.S., they took issue with the attention they had received from the federal government.

“Unfortunately, the assistance we received from other elements of the U.S. Government was inconsistent and disappointing over the course of three and a half years,” Elaine Weinstein, Warren’s wife, said in a Thursday statement.

Along with Weinstein, the strike killed an Italian hostage as well an al Qaeda operative who was an American citizen. Another American operative was killed in a different operation.

Obama apologized for their deaths shortly after the incident was made public.

“It is a cruel and bitter truth that in the fog of war generally, and our fight against terrorists specifically, mistakes, sometimes deadly mistakes, can occur,” Obama said.

“As president and commander in chief, I take full responsibility for all counterterrorism operations.”