Tribesmen this week examine the rubble of a building in southeastern Yemen where American teenager Abdulrahmen al-Awlaki and six suspected al-Qaida militants were killed in a U.S. drone strike on Oct. 14, 2011. Al-Awlaki, 16, was the son of Anwar al-Awlaki, who died in a similar strike two weeks earlier. Khaled Abdullah / Reuters
EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department Memo Reveals Legal Case For Drone Strikes On Americans -- NBC
A confidential Justice Department memo concludes that the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force” -- even if there is no intelligence indicating they are engaged in an active plot to attack the U.S.
The 16-page memo, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News, provides new details about the legal reasoning behind one of the Obama administration’s most secretive and controversial polices: its dramatically increased use of drone strikes against al-Qaida suspects abroad, including those aimed at American citizens, such as the September 2011 strike in Yemen that killed alleged al-Qaida operatives Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan. Both were U.S. citizens who had never been indicted by the U.S. government nor charged with any crimes.
Read more ....
More News On The U.S. Justice's Memo Outlining The Legal Guidelines For U.S. Drone Strikes Against Americans
Drone strikes on Americans on U.S. soil are LEGAL, says confidential Justice Department memo -- Daily Mail
Justice memo details broad grounds for drone strikes against Qaida-linked US citizens abroad -- Washington Post/AP
Memo justifies drone kills even with patchy intelligence -- Reuters
US memo gives broad legal rationale for targeted killings -- AFP
Obama's Memo on Killing Americans Twists 'Imminent Threat' Like Bush -- The Atlantic
Report: Memo backs U.S. using lethal force against Americans overseas -- CNN
Memo Cites Legal Basis for Killing U.S. Citizens in Al Qaeda -- New York Times
Justice Dept. document justifies killing Americans overseas if they pose ‘imminent threat’ -- Washington Post
Justice Dept.: Legal For US To Kill al-Qaida Americans Abroad -- Voice of America
Justice Department memo: US government has legal right to order drone strikes on Americans -- al.com
US drone strikes: Memo reveals case for killing Americans -- BBC
Justice Department memo: Drone strikes on U.S. citizens can be legal -- Washington Times
After Leaked Memo on Drone Killings, Senators Still Seek More Details -- Roll Call
Senators threaten 'confrontation' with Obama nominees over drone concerns -- FOX News
Leaked Memo Shows Rules for Killing Americans With Drones Are Pretty Vague -- Margaret Hartmann, New York Magazine
A ‘profoundly disturbing’ memo? DOJ white paper outlines legal basis for targeted killings -- ABA Journal
How Obama Transformed an Old Military Concept So He Can Drone Americans -- Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room
How Obama Decides to Kill American Citizens in the War on Terror -- Adam Clark Estes, The Atlantic
WNU Editor: The 16 page memo is here.
My Comment: Unbelievable .... I remember the grief that President Bush got when the debate on warrant-less wiretaps was in the open. And now .... where are the critics.
4 comments:
Fail to see the comparison regarding wiretaps and the killings of suspected terrorists.
I believe you said so yourself, before, that drone strikes was a "Damned if you do, Damned if you don't" policy.
So why is it, that when a 'suspected' terrorist who has american citizenship, gets killed in one of these drone strikes, there is outcry?
I really do not see why people have double-standards on this - "the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force”"
Isn't this a good thing...
Or does having American citizenship exempt you from these strikes despite the fact that said American may be engaged in terrorist activities...
Thank you D. Plowman for your comment.
I prefer to see these terrorists thrown in prison .... Guantanamo, the U.S., elsewhere .... makes no difference to me as long as they are removed and .... if possible .... intelligence gleamed.
But because of the outcry over Guantanamo ..... that option is now off the table, hence the current policy that I myself have articulated as a "Damned if you do, Damned if you don't" policy concerning drone strikes. Besides ... drone strikes are safer and easier than working with foreign governments to capture and/or kill terrorists.
As to ordering the killing of U.S. citizens abroad WITHOUT proper judicial process .... now this is something that is unprecedented in U.S. history. The closest that I can think about is the suspension of habeas corpus during the American civil war.
If I was an American citizen I would be demanding a public debate over this issue. To have Congress involved, the input of learned experts, and ultimately the opinion of the general public. But instead everything is now being done in secret behind closed doors .... we now have the worst of the Bush administration in play without the liberal left protesting 24/7.
I believe the critics to these policies are places like this blog and libertarian outlets. What is wrong with fighting those fighting us? American citizens have fought as German soldiers against Americans in WWII. I understand your hesitance but under this case it should not be a surprise. However, where do they go from here...
Thank you Aho for your comment.
Yup .... where do we go from here. I think we all know where this is all going .... targeted killings, special forces, intelligence networks to pinpoint threats, drone strikes, other allies and groups doing our "dirty work" .... and all of this under a liberal Democrat administration with the compliance of the Republicans and the acquiesce of most countries around the world. Is this a sound policy .... I do not know .... I just wish we had that public debate instead of having it on blogs like this one.
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