That’s correct.
From NBCNews.com:
National Investigative Correspondent, NBC News
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 that begs the obvious question: are drone strikes on American citizens within the continental United States legal?
The Obama Administration’s 16-page memo (go here for memo) indicates it’s quite acceptable to target lawful American citizens in other countries who were never indicted in US courts nor officially charged with any delineated crimes.
The threshold?
Instead, it (the memo) says, an “informed, high-level” official of the U.S. government may determine that the targeted American has been “recently” involved in “activities” posing a threat of a violent attack and “there is no evidence suggesting that he has renounced or abandoned such activities.” The memo does not define “recently” or “activities.”
First thought: can you IMAGINE the hue and cry from the DEM/MSM/AMM had President Bush made such a decree via his administration? And from the ACLU?
“This is a chilling document,” said Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director of the ACLU, which is suing to obtain administration memos about the targeted killing of Americans. “Basically, it argues that the government has the right to carry out the extrajudicial killing of an American citizen. … It recognizes some limits on the authority it sets out, but the limits are elastic and vaguely defined, and it’s easy to see how they could be manipulated.”
And here is your kinder, gentler, more understanding and soothing Leftist Gubmint via Obaka:
“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.”
“All animals are equal. Some animals are more equal than others.”
Mr Obama: you are an animal.
BZ
Well, then – how about the reverse? If I see a drone overhead, am I allowed to assume it is an eminent attack on my personal space, and may I therefore take it out before it attacks me, and be free and clear of any legal ramifications?
If not, then goose, meet gander.
Huh. Imagine that.
The Logical Extension. . .
BZ
And those MFers wonder WHY we cling to our guns and the second amendment!! THAT is EXACTLY why, because when BAD people rise to power, we might NEED to address the situation!
Whatever goes up,,,,,,can come down……
Imagine that, its legal to kill Americans under an ASSUMPTION of guilt, how sweet is that.
WTF……..I don’t mind killing bad guys, but to kill or assassinate some political guy who is associated with terror groups but to kill an American with no proof of any criminal activity is pure unadulterated BS…..
What amazes me is that NBC broke the story. Did somebody there discover a spine?
It’s a shame they didn’t have the drones during the Waco incident, it would have made things SO my easier. /s
Typo alert!! my=much!
One step closer to the government killing American citizens here. It’s a step by step process just like the gun grab. Very scary times.
Bingo!
And all you have to do is follow the numbers, they are in order…
The CBO today indicated that ObakaKare would REMOVE at least SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE from eligible roles of healthcare. . .
So instead of COVERING more people, ObakaKare will cover FEWER persons!
Such rampant BULLshit from the Obaka Administration!
BZ
This is exactly why one should have a semi-automatic rifle.
Fire at them using this rifle. May hit one. 30 rounds ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Boy would this “piss” them off!
Yes, each comma is a round fired into the sky.
I’m sure I’m going to ruffle some feathers with this, but too bad…
I don’t give a damn what country some jihadist piece of filth was born in; smoke his ass by the most efficient means possible. Born in America? Oh well. I’m glad that the DOJ has ruled that we don’t have to dither over a terrorist’s citizenship before we arrange his meeting with allah.
Using the slippery slope fallacy doesn’t hold much water with me.
And I too feel the same way John, as long as they are killing them in *other* nations and they really are traitors, defectors helping with Jihad, terrorists, whatever… But … what if Obama were to decide that all of US were Domestic Terrorists, that domestic enemy we all took and oath to defend against??
Would be about right, the SOB Obama would decide to honor HIS oath to same in those circumstances…
“Other nations.”
Right.
I think you see my problem with this.
Fred, you and I have ALREADY been declared as potential “terrorists.” I know you haven’t forgotten this. I haven’t. Perhaps others have.
BZ
I think everyone who regularly visits this site is on the list and I’m not joking.