EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans

EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans

openchannel.nbcnews.com...

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.

And there you have it folks, drone strikes allowed to target Americans if they are labeled terrorists. Does this surprise anyone? According to our Gov't, who isn't a terrorist these days? And if drones strikes are legally going to be allowed to kill Americans for supporting Al Qaeda shouldn't the first strikes be rained down on Washington DC itself? I mean who else is supporting Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria?

"associated force" eh? What the hell constitutes a leader?! The majority of Al Qaeda street fighters have a grade school education at best. That's not meant to insult but a statement of fact. Al Qaeda recruits to the lowest on most of their people so independent thought isn't a concern they have to deal with from afar, during an operation. I imagine they find it works for them since they seem to have more success hitting our people overseas than we have in hitting theirs most of the time.

Ummm.... Anyway...So how far does one need to go? Get suckered into a series of chats? Read Inspire a few times? Write ..ahem... "disloyal" messages on a wild internet website? Since WHEN did assassination of citizens inside the nation even get TALKED about?!

This stuff ..if accurate..is so far past reasonable control now it's just unbelievable. I swear I may some day do what I never could have imagined...I may really look at other nations to live. It's not there yet. Not by a good distance .....but this isn't getting better around here either.

reply to post by Swills

I mean who else is supporting Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria?

Unbelievable, aint that the truth.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


By the time it gets so bad you finally decide to leave, you won't be allowed to.

here is the DOJ White Paper link.

msnbcmedia.msn.com...

my only question is do they use a X-box controller to pilot the drones? i'd imagine that would help the transition...

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Exactly, are we to trust this Gov't and who they label a terrorist? This memo is just further evidence that Washington DC is a run away train on the track to tyranny. What more do people need to realize it's TIME to make some serous changes?

It's time for all these politicians and their wealthy cronies to be relinquished of their command and brought to justice. This is getting ridiculous and since drones are coming to a town near you I wonder if we Americans will finally understand what it's like to live in fear of the drone, like those in Pakistan.

Originally posted by Carreau
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

By the time it gets so bad you finally decide to leave, you won't be allowed to.

Yeah... You're probably right. Then I suppose we'll all be here together, eh Arizona?

I absolutely can't leave close, elderly family here to "hope for the best" if things go completely south on everyone. I'd survive....but what's surviving when you can't shave for the fact seeing yourself in a mirror is a part of that? I'm sure you'd agree by what I know of your posts, there is a hell of a lot more to living than surviving. So it is, I'm here without many options.

I guess we'll meet this brave new world in the same crappy boat if it comes apart that quick. Got a spare paddle to navigate the Styx? I seem to be missing mine.

It also seems like a convenient out for accidental drone attacks.

When they hit the wrong target, I can see them justifying the killing by saying:

"Oh, I meant to kill that woman and her neighbor, they were chatting and discussing 'terrorist' activities while trimming their rose bushes."

I've been reading through the comments on the linked article, and I have to say that American's who comment on NBC are finally "getting it." So far I've seen no comments stating these drone strikes are necessary for our safety.

Also, I'm wondering if drone strikes become common place, would hiding in the woods be an option or would they spray agent orange or some other defoliant?

Edit: Finally found a disappointing comment praising these attacks on US citizens overseas. But at least the majority of comments are from people who see the flaws in legal air assassinations.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
"associated force" eh? What the hell constitutes a leader?! The majority of Al Qaeda street fighters have a grade school education at best. That's not meant to insult but a statement of fact. Al Qaeda recruits to the lowest on most of their people so independent thought isn't a concern they have to deal with from afar, during an operation. I imagine they find it works for them since they seem to have more success hitting our people overseas than we have in hitting theirs most of the time.

Ummm.... Anyway...So how far does one need to go? Get suckered into a series of chats? Read Inspire a few times? Write ..ahem... "disloyal" messages on a wild internet website? Since WHEN did assassination of citizens inside the nation even get TALKED about?!

This stuff ..if accurate..is so far past reasonable control now it's just unbelievable. I swear I may some day do what I never could have imagined...I may really look at other nations to live. It's not there yet. Not by a good distance .....but this isn't getting better around here either.

Very well said, I couldnt have said it better!

In the end it seems like the obvious first step would be to create a straw man boogie man, then useit as the reason to scare the sheeple into compliance.

Well played on the weak of wit and lacking of critical thinking due to the many daily distractions of american life.

reply to post by inverslyproportional

You know what I can't help but remember now? I recall VERY clearly how they just slipped past the change of policy for Air Force and Contractors doing drone training over American soil and not simply on the ranges they've built in a few places around the nation. Anyone recall the drones seen by many around the time of the Chicago NATO summit as one example?

This isn't likely the first step of it I'm now realizing. This specific thing started and is already a few steps into it by the time we're hearing about this little leap of logic. All by steps and increments, huh? The frogs need it slow....slow and careful, but it still boils eventually.

I believe with this in mind I'd feel VERY differently if I were inside a fixed camp like Occupy at this point. Talk about a dream target for the Drones. Almost certain not to carry collateral damage to their thinking. What's happened to us? (sigh)

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Speaking of drone training, police in the major cities now have drones. Now the police have every right to kill you because you're a "terrorist."
Seattle's police force drones

Edit: And colleges are training students how to fly these drones Huffington Post
It seems there will soon be a trained civilian security force to keep tabs on everyone.

In conclusion, it would be lawful for the United States to conduct a lethal operation outside the United States against a U.S. citizen who is a senior, operational leader of al-Qa'ida without violating the Constitution or the federal statutes discussed in this white paper under the following conditions: (1) An informed, high-level official of the U.S. government has determined that the targeted individual poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States; (2) capture is infeasible, and the United States continues to monitor whether capture becomes feasible; (3) the operation is conducted in a manner consistent with the four fundamental principles of the laws of war governing the use of force.

page 16. DOJ White Paper.

hogwash. you can say anything for the first two "rules" if you want someone dead. just another way to circumvent the constitution while rubbing the idea in people's face that your own government can turn you into a liability and claim you're some big wig in a terrorist ring. time to send out the drones! kids grow up on "fake killing" go to college to learn to pilot drones and turn to murder in the name of U.S.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

I have not really been a 911 truther, but I always maintain a healthy skepticism with these kinds of events, as a lot of the time the official story doesnt follow all the facts.

I am begining to believe this was all planned long ago, and orchestrated through great pains over decades all the way back to JFK, and we are now seeing it all come to fruition.

As always hind sight and all that, it becomes easy to see the clearly blazed trail, where it started and which direction it is traveling in.

We as a people must do somthing about it en mass, as we can all hang together, or surely we will all hang apart.

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”

Wouldn't that be the CIA? They started the whole mess.

reply to post by roadgravel

CIA? Al Qaeda? Hezbollah or the Chinese PLA. Does it really matter?

When they spell relief "H-e-l-l-f-i-r-e" for a headache you never had or asked for help with, I don't think the source of the paychecks to the drone pilot really matters or makes it feel any better, does it?

reply to post by Swills


Seems they've decided to put on paper what they do already anyway.

Best not go on a holiday to Yemen or Afghanistan now...

reply to post by collietta


And how will they kill people if the drones aren't armed?

I think you're comparing apples with oranges here, since there is no talk of using drone strikes on US soil...

reply to post by Chadwickus


Oh it's only a matter of time. They like to do things one step at a time & see what they can get away with before moving ahead to the next step, which in this case would be killing Americans on US soil via drone strikes. Why not? They're not supposed to be killing Americans on foreign soil, especially without any sort of due process, but they do it anyway.

So the next logical step is strikes at home. They already cleared drones to fly in US skies so the foundation is clearly laid before them.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


CIA created Al Qaeda. The CIA should be on the drone target list since they are upper management.

Hard to believe it can keep getting worse. Evil has no limit, it seems.