A Note On 'Drone Strikes', Ladies And Gentlemen

[Vinnie From Indy]

272. One might ask the OP to consider the best strategy for the Executive

to subvert and destroy the rule of law in a repubic such as our own.

Declaring perpetual war on an amorphous, global adversary and claiming extraordinary powers to deal with the enemy would seem to be the perfect strategy for becoming a dictator.

In addition, your position brings forth a multitude of questions.

You write:
This cost is restriction of state action against the hostile non-state actor to the bounds of ordinary police enforcement of criminal law; the whole panoply of warrants for search and arrest, trial with evidence and defense, and so forth. This can render dealing with the hostile non-state body somewhat more difficult, and more time consuming, all of which may well allow the hostile non-state body appreciably greater scope for action.

While this may be true in regard to Al-Queda as a whole, one might ask if we as a nation should void several of our most fundamental rights in response to the threat of a few dozen or even a few hundred of our countrymen that are accused of being in league with our enemies? I have read many opinions in regard to this issue and the war on terror as a whole that inject the US Civil War into the discussion as a precedent for the Executive to take extreme measures to deal with the threat. I personally think this is a ridiculous notion even if one agrees with extra-judicial powers claimed and used by Lincoln. Dealing with the insurrection of millions of citizens does not in any way compare with the situation we now have with Americans that are accused of siding with AL Queda. In short, it would not be too cumbersome for the US to deal with this threat using the justice system.

Other questions include:

Are we justified in killing innocent family members of those Americans that may find themselves on the death list?

Would all deaths that occur in a drone strike be justified?

Would there be any recourse for the families of those innocents blown to bits?

Would other states have the same rights to pursue an kill their citizens in the US? (Would Cuba have had the right to send a drone to Miami to kill Luis Posada a few years back?)

Does the US now claim the right to kill our citizens in countries that have current extradition treaties with us?

I respect your opinions, but I think this one is incorrect and dangerous.

Cheers!