Justice Department memo reveals legal case for...

[Ausm]

Drone strikes on Americans???

http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_new...egal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite

 

[fskimospy]

Pretty horrendous. The whole 'trust us he was a bad guy' system of justice that we have created over the last ten years is something (I hope) future generations will look back on in shame.

 

[highland145]

“A lawful killing in self-defense is not an assassination,” the white paper reads. “In the Department’s view, a lethal operation conducted against a U.S. citizen whose conduct poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States would be a legitimate act of national self-defense that would not violate the assassination ban. Similarly, the use of lethal force, consistent with the laws of war, against an individual who is a legitimate military target would be lawful and would not violate the assassination ban.”

And who gets to decide?

“informed, high-level” official of the U.S. government

Riiiiight.

 

[Genx87]

This is absolutely terrifying to read. They are laying legal groundwork for a vague open ended system that can be easily abused to kill american citizens without trial. Think about the ramifications of what they are saying. The target doesnt need to be an immediate threat. The target doesnt even need to be in the process of working on a plot. They just need to have pissed off the govt. How many years until this is turned internal? Easier to drop a missile through the front of a house because the "undue risk" of capturing the target was too great for law enforcement?

 

[waggy]

Only thing on this that surprises me is that people are shocked. Hopefully this will generate enough outrage that they ban them.

drone strikes or hell even drones should not be used.

 

[Doppel]

It's cute you guys still think the constitution matters. Maybe glaring breaches of it like this will make you less apt to mock others when they express concern over some of their "inalienable" rights being taken away.

The cracks in US legality have been around for years. Holding people without charge, wireless wire tapping, presidential kill list all are part of the big brother knows best. The constitution protects against this kind of behavior but only if people use it.

I don't think anything will be done about this. 911 has been a great scapegoat for the gov to do whatever it wants. Get used to it. Both parties are in in this and as long as you do nothing wrong you have nothing to fear, comrade.

 

[monovillage]

A 2 or 3 years late report, released after the election, so the usual suspects can say "I'm shocked! Shocked! that Obama is ordering the murder of American citizens with drones" and then saunter off flipping through their political winnings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME

 

[airdata]

Where's Alex Jones when you need him? amiright?

 

[fskimospy]

A 2 or 3 years late report, released after the election, so the usual suspects can say "I'm shocked! Shocked! that Obama is ordering the murder of American citizens with drones" and then saunter off flipping through their political winnings.

Except of course that his opponent was equally supportive of them, so why would that matter?

 

[Mursilis]

It's cute you guys still think the constitution matters. Maybe glaring breaches of it like this will make you less apt to mock others when they express concern over some of their "inalienable" rights being taken away.

The cracks in US legality have been around for years. Holding people without charge, wireless wire tapping, presidential kill list all are part of the big brother knows best. The constitution protects against this kind of behavior but only if people use it.

I don't think anything will be done about this. 911 has been a great scapegoat for the gov to do whatever it wants. Get used to it. Both parties are in in this and as long as you do nothing wrong you have nothing to fear, comrade.

Sad but true. Some of the same people whining about this stuff were happy to grow the gov't in other ways, and are suddenly so surprised that power is now or soon will be abused.

 

[michal1980]

Except of course that his opponent was equally supportive of them, so why would that matter?

And the left hated bush and all he stood for, saying everything he did was wrong.


So wheres the left now when their boy is doing what bush did?

Oh thats right, you want faux outrage, look at the left.

 

[Jimzz]

Only thing on this that surprises me is that people are shocked. Hopefully this will generate enough outrage that they ban them.

drone strikes or hell even drones should not be used.

THIS

When the Justice Dept was able to write up a memo saying torture was not torture so its legal so go for it and most in the US were ok with it, it just opens the doors to more BS like this.

 

[Jimzz]

And the left hated bush and all he stood for, saying everything he did was wrong.


So wheres the left now when their boy is doing what bush did?

Oh thats right, you want faux outrage, look at the left.

And who on the "left" is supporting this? I can find tons of people that were ok with Bush's torture is legal memo.

 

[Nemesis 1]

This is absolutely terrifying to read. They are laying legal groundwork for a vague open ended system that can be easily abused to kill american citizens without trial. Think about the ramifications of what they are saying. The target doesnt need to be an immediate threat. The target doesnt even need to be in the process of working on a plot. They just need to have pissed off the govt. How many years until this is turned internal? Easier to drop a missile through the front of a house because the "undue risk" of capturing the target was too great for law enforcement?

You wanted the pig in the white house . you got him . now live with yourselves .

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Pretty horrendous. The whole 'trust us he was a bad guy' system of justice that we have created over the last ten years is something (I hope) future generations will look back on in shame.

Doesn't matter. We have no responsibility since the definition of Democracy is that we elect people to take control over us, remember? Since we can't know in advance what someone will do and elected leaders have no obligation to listen to us while in office, we can hold our heads high and say we had no choice. We're off the hook.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

And who on the "left" is supporting this? I can find tons of people that were ok with Bush's torture is legal memo.

And the left held Obama accountable for his actions... when?

 

[waggy]

And the left held Obama accountable for his actions... when?

that's the huge problem. Far to many just care if they can make the other side look bad and not the issue itself.

its about them winning. no matter what. if it hurts the other side? wooo! oh it hurts the nation? meh did it hurt the R or D? yeah? woooo!


fuck that.

 

[Incorruptible]

Thank you big government/Anti-Constitution idiots for this. I had been warning about this all along, Does anyone not remember Anwar Awlaki and when I said if they could do it to him they could do it to anyone, Those morons ridiculed and insulted me, now look who was right

This really proves obama is a horrible president and a POS

 

[Oldgamer]

THIS

When the Justice Dept was able to write up a memo saying torture was not torture so its legal so go for it and most in the US were ok with it, it just opens the doors to more BS like this.

And who on the "left" is supporting this? I can find tons of people that were ok with Bush's torture is legal memo.

Exactly..

 

[IronWing]

And the left held Obama accountable for his actions... when?

Let's impeach him over this. I'm fer it. Also, continuing to confuse Democrats with leftists is ridiculous. Obama is well to the right of Nixon. Biden, while still fairly conservative, isn't as far to the right as Obama so would hopefully be an improvement.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Exactly..

And there are tons of people who were silent and deflect from what is happening now by saying what happened when Bush was in office.

Helpful tip-
Bush doesn't get the buck. Obama has for some time, but but BOOSH!

Hold your own accountable. The Reps didn't and the Dems claim to be better. Can't prove it from their actions, nor the left except for just a few.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Let's impeach him over this. I'm fer it. Also, continuing to confuse Democrats with leftists is ridiculous. Obama is well to the right of Nixon. Biden, while still fairly conservative, isn't as far to the right as Obama so would hopefully be an improvement.

Dems aren't all left and all on the left may not be dems, but let's see the number on the left holding protests over this. Wait, they aren't. What you see on the internet is as far as it goes, but actually challenging? Not a chance.


BTW, I'm not entirely against drone strikes myself. It is situationally dependent. When someone renounces his citizenship and is seeking to attack the US through terrorism and the threat rises to a sufficient level, that's too bad for whoever that person is. This however seems to be based not so much on good intelligence gathering or a high bar set for need, but a general statement of a low standard which can be abused. That's not something I endorse.

 

[waggy]

Dems aren't all left and all on the left may not be dems, but let's see the number on the left holding protests over this. Wait, they aren't. What you see on the internet is as far as it goes, but actually challenging? Not a chance.


BTW, I'm not entirely against drone strikes myself. It is situationally dependent. When someone renounces his citizenship and is seeking to attack the US through terrorism and the threat rises to a sufficient level, that's too bad for whoever that person is. This however seems to be based not so much on good intelligence gathering or a high bar set for need, but a general statement of a low standard which can be abused. That's not something I endorse.

I can understand useing them if the person is in a war zone. IF you are a US citizen and helping them i have no issue.

things change when it is in the US. even if they "renounce citizenship" there is still a process the government has to fallow. They can not just blow the house up.

I think the first time they do it will be the last time.

 

[Nintendesert]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2196675&highlight=anwar


http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2198741&highlight=anwar




Feel free to read through all the supporters of this. The Executive Branch does not have the legal authority to order the execution of an American citizen. They can word it however they like and dress this pig up in a dress and put lipstick on it, but this kind of shit is completely unconstitutional and the people supporting this need to be impeached.

 

[Jimzz]

And the left held Obama accountable for his actions... when?

Again, show me where the "left" is supporting this? .
The right gave Bush and his Justice dept plenty of support for their BS memos. I have yet to see the "left" put up any major support for this.