General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A Note On 'Drone Strikes', Ladies And Gentlemen [View all]Tom Rinaldo
(22,912 posts)but you covered all these points far better than I ever could have dreamed of doing, so instead I get to K&R your thread in far less time. I reach the same conclusion that you have reached, that Americans who conciously join forces with international proclaimed enemies of our State who are intent on attacking us and killing other Americans, by so doing can and often must be tereated as enemy combatents subject to tactics used against enemies during war. It falls within the prime directive of any governmens to protect the citizenry as a whole against enemy attacks, even if those attacks are the acts of other citizens. Citizens though they may be, they commonly are then known as traitors who are engaged in a form of combat- which is more than just holding (in this case) extremely anti-American opioions.
Having said that, I share some concern with what one poster wrote above about the constant global nature of this "war", and all of the blurred lines defining it. Because of the potential abuse of executive power that this newly emerging form of warfare opens itself up to (which may or may not be an issue now with the current administration - but that is no basis for weighing the need for employing safeguards), I do strongly favor full public disclosure of the full criteria that is employed when an American citizen is targetted for killing as an enemy combatent. I also believe that our government needs a cleaqrly defined review process by high level designated government officials that must be adhered to before any American is placed on the so called "kill list". This should probably be prescribed by law and include judicial and congressional direct participation. It should be rare to target Americans abroad who can not be arrested instead, so it is worthy of very special mandated thorough consideration whenever it is contemplated.