I watched some of AG Holder's testimony on killing U.S. citizens on U.S. soil by drone, etc. (i.e. without due process). Lots of evasion and double-talk and refusal to release documents. What else is new (remember BATF's Opn Fast nd Furious)? Even some Democrats in Congress and the left-leaning NYT were unappy. So much for Obama's promises of "transparency." We are not talking about overseas. We are talking about on U.S. terrritory where the Constitutuion, including due process, applies with full force. On the other hand, there might be some emergencies so extreme and dangerous where this might be lawful as in the authority of law-enforcement to use deadly force when unlawful deadly force against others is imminent
Rand Paul's filibuster grand-standing was perhaps more of a distraction than an aid to facing this issue. On the other hand, his actions, at least suggested, that this is a issue that needs to be taken seriously and addressed.
As a law enforcement measure, using drones to kill anyone on their jurisdiction's terra-firma is pretty extreme. That said, my southern ancestors unfortunately witnessed Yankee killings on American soil. These drones aren't breaking any ground that hasn't been broken before.
ReplyDelete44: thanks for the post. However, there is world of difference between military killings during the Civil War (e.g. federal govt. has the power to suppress insurections, etc) and killing criminals and suspected terrorists who are U.S. citizens on U.S. soil during times of domestic and international peace. No one killed during combat during the Civil War was denied due process--it doesn't apply during actual combat.
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