Secret panel can put Americans on "kill list", page 1

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American militants like Anwar al-Awlaki are placed on a kill or capture list by a secretive panel of senior government officials, which then informs the president of its decisions, according to officials.

There is no public record of the operations or decisions of the panel, which is a subset of the White House's National Security Council, several current and former officials said. Neither is there any law establishing its existence or setting out the rules by which it is supposed to operate."

I think that this sets a dangerous precident. Imagine a panel with no accountability whatsoever, that can determine who to neutralize. No arrest, no trial, just death. What kind of potential does this have to be abused? Could TPTB start systematically eliminating Americans who disagree with policy or those who speak out? What is the agenda of this type of panel? Is there an endgame? I hope I don't ever end up on that list!

Link to the article:
news.yahoo.com...

reply to post by tmw93

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That is good advice. The problem with it is, what criteria can be used in the future to justify putting me on that list? Maybe one day in the not so distant future, you could be put on the list for having an ATS account. Sounds silly, but if there is no accountability, then that panel could put whoever they want on the list for whatever reason they see fit.

reply to post by Nathwa

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The only way you will ever stay off of that list is if you do not ever disagree or take a stand against what the said government are doing at any stage, so if you have no morals, ideals or anything else, then you will be fine.

If on the other hand you fight for the things you believe in, you are to be on that list , you do not get a choice. It kind of begs the question of is youre life really youre life, because if it is, then you would have values,morals and ideals that you should be willing to fight or die for. This agenda wiorks on the fact that people are going to be too scared to get off of their butts and stand up for what they believe in and be so scared that they will not take action and just allow too happen what the government wants. America was not founded on that principal, it is time for you to decide what you want to do with youre life me thinks.

If you accept this, it will be worse for youre children, and i for 1 do not want this utter bs for mine, these people have run things on this planet for long enough,this has been happening for centuries, it is time we kicked butt.

If you continue to do nothing their will be no one to stop them taking you away, as at some point everyone will make that list!.

Pepole need to stop thinking of the "I" and see the bigger picture of the "WE" together we are all powerful, as individuals we are not, wht do you think they try and devide and conquer all the time, it is too keep our numbers down so they can manage us. What would they be able to do if we all collectively said "NO" ? nothing is the answer, then we would see some real change.

Originally posted by Nathwa
"There is no public record of the operations or decisions of the panel, which is a subset of the White House's National Security Council, several current and former officials said. Neither is there any law establishing its existence or setting out the rules by which it is supposed to operate."

The National Security Council was established by the National Security Act, which authorizes the Council to make recommendations for national security. The law establishes several committees, two or three of which could reasonably make recommendations for the CIA's target list. I wouldn't expect the law to go into detail on subcommittees, or how the subcommittees run their business--I assume they use something like Robert's Rules of Order. As long as the statutory committees or the Council principals sign off on the subcommittee's product, they're operating within the National Security Act.

I think that this sets a dangerous precident. Imagine a panel with no accountability whatsoever, that can determine who to neutralize. No arrest, no trial, just death. What kind of potential does this have to be abused? Could TPTB start systematically eliminating Americans who disagree with policy or those who speak out?

Not under the current legal regime, no. Neither the 2001 AUMF nor the right of self-defense would authorize targeting a political enemy just because. The Insurrection Act wouldn't allow the military to carry out the hit within the United States, and the War Powers Resolution would make it politically impossible outside the US. The CIA can't conduct covert action to influence US political processes, so they couldn't do it, either. And the oversight committees/gang of eight have access to special access programs, so there will be at least four political enemies of the President with access to his hit list. If TPTB want to start systematically eliminating Americans who disagree with them, they're going to have to hire private operators out of their own funds.

reply to post by FurvusRexCaeli

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That is good to know. So is what you are saying that an American can be killed only as long as he is outside the US? They can get you while you are on vacation more or less?

In any case, how long before those safeguards are sidestepped though? Besides, I have heard here on ATS that the CIA conducts covert ops on American soil regardless. So who is to say that covert ops would not be conducted in the US in the near future with the intent of silencing dissidents?

Originally posted by Nathwa
Link to the article:
news.yahoo.com...

The role of the president in ordering or ratifying a decision to target a citizen is fuzzy. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to discuss anything about the process.

Ah, it's not the president who makes the decisions, it's the secret panel. Whew, it's safe to reelect our Nobel Peace Prize winner.

reply to post by InformationAccount

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You never know, it is possible that this could turn into something akin to the French Revolution. Just say your neighbor is an enemy of the state and he will be dead meat. Be careful though- someone could just as easily say that you are one too. I am sure that there could be potential for this panel to expand into that area.

Originally posted by Nathwa
reply to post by InformationAccount

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You never know, it is possible that this could turn into something akin to the French Revolution. Just say your neighbor is an enemy of the state and he will be dead meat. Be careful though- someone could just as easily say that you are one too. I am sure that there could be potential for this panel to expand into that area.

Or even the McCarthy communist witch hunt, or the J.Edgar Hoover COINTELPRO years or the rise of Hitler.

Once the terrorist accusations start to fly everyone becomes a suspect.

Originally posted by Nathwa
reply to post by FurvusRexCaeli

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That is good to know. So is what you are saying that an American can be killed only as long as he is outside the US? They can get you while you are on vacation more or less?

No. Your vacation has to involve being an operational member of Al Qaeda or an Al Qaeda sponsor/protector. Those are the only organizations targeted by the Resolution of 2001. It has also been suggested you have to be in a country where capture isn't feasible, and must actively avoid capture. (There was at least one attempt to capture Awlaki. It ended in a gunfight and he escaped.)

In any case, how long before those safeguards are sidestepped though? Besides, I have heard here on ATS that the CIA conducts covert ops on American soil regardless. So who is to say that covert ops would not be conducted in the US in the near future with the intent of silencing dissidents?

The first question calls for speculation, which I won't do. If the government is going to sidestep safeguards, it doesn't matter what safeguards are in place, because the government is going to sidestep them. So why bother even thinking about it? Just assume the worst and get on with your life. As for the second question, feel free to present evidence that the CIA conducts covert action on US soil AND this covert action is intended to affect US political processes. Not something historic, and not intelligence collection activities--recent evidence that demonstrates a likelihood the CIA will act the way you suggest it will.

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