Greenwald: U.S. kill list compels support of Israel

[sonofdaxjones]

Extra-judicial assassination - accompanied by the wanton killing of whatever civilians happen to be near the target, often including children - is a staple of the Obama presidency. That lawless tactic is one of the US president's favorite instruments for projecting force and killing whomever he decides should have their lives ended: all in total secrecy and with no due process or oversight. There is now a virtually complete convergence between US and Israeli aggression, making US criticism of Israel impossible not only for all the usual domestic political reasons, but also out of pure self-interest: for Obama to condemn Israel's rogue behavior would be to condemn himself.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/15/israel-gaza-obama-assassinations

[ednksu]

I'm always shocked at the number of people who are supposedly educated and have no concept of international norms and international law.

[sonofdaxjones]

Just what part of International Law covers pumping Hellfire Missiles into mudhuts at "Suspected Terrorists" who are defined as any male believed to be over a certain age?

[wetwillie]

Im always surprised these threads dont get more action

[p1k3]

[Cire]

I don't understand what people want Israel to do when Hamas shoots rockets from playgrounds?

[OregonSmock]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists. 

[p1k3]

I don't understand what people want Israel to do when Hamas shoots rockets from playgrounds?

they should eff 'em up, imo

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists. 

And innocent civilians that die too. Drones aren't exactly making any friends

[p1k3]

Barry extended the Patriot Act and passed NDAA. An NSA data mining complex is going up in Utah. Thank God he's a constitutional expert tho

[wetwillie]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists. 

That is absolutely terrifying

[0.42]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

What if Bush had been an expert in constitutional law? Would you have been okay with this?

[Cire]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists. 

agreed

[sonofdaxjones]

Yes, the current administration defines "International Terrorists" as males over a certain age who happen to be in a certain area at a certain time.   Oh sure, they also define it a little tighter at times by saying those males were engaged in "suspicious activities".

Yep, takes a lot of constitutional law to drill down to those finite definitions of "terrorists".

[sonofdaxjones]

Also numerous survey's by multiple sources have shown that amongst the many non terrorists, never had any intention of ever being a terrorist . . . yet were significantly impacted by Drone Wars.   Has only built up a greater resentment against the United States and actually spawned more people inclined to want to commit terrorist acts against the United States and U.S interests.

[sonofdaxjones]

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had just a few hundred members in 2009, and controlled no territory. Today it has, along with Ansar al-Sharia, at least a thousand members and substantial operational spaces in Abyan and Shabwa, in addition to a presence in Mareb, Rada, Hadramout and other regions of Yemen.  New York Times 9/26/2012 . . . coincides perfectly with the U.S. significantly ratcheting up Drone strikes.

[06wildcat]

Well if the drone is inside the country's airspace... It is nice to see Obama reads the board and is basically trolling Dax at this point.

[Cartierfor3]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

its like Obama can do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters. 

[felix rex]

Exactly. The Hadramut was a bastion of sunshine and reasonable discourse before Obama.

Also, have you seen those numbers on ice cream and shark attacks?

[OregonSmock]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

its like Obama can do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters.

It's a slippery slope, but that's why we elect people who we can trust with those kinds of responsibilities.  If we have an international terrorist in our sights and we can take them out with a drone strike, I'm all for it. 

[sonofdaxjones]

Just say NO to pumping Hellfire Missiles into Mudhuts at "suspected terrororists fitting the description of a (insert age here) male taking part in 'suspicious activities'" . . . Unless a Democrat is President.

Hey, it's a good thing this administration brought in guys like Harold “unambiguously reassert our historic commitments to human rights and the rule of law as a major source of our moral authority” Koh (Koh said that when a Republican was President to the U.S. Senate) from Yale . . . the same guy who railed about expansion of executive powers under the previous administration, but now says that the secret state sanctioned Extra-judicial assassination campaign while it's real, real, real close to being illegal . . . is probably okay . . . maybe.

Golly, every month or so the CIA sends the ISI a fax saying, "hey uh, we're going to being fly over there, and maybe over here in the next few weeks".   The ISI would awknowledge the receipt of the fax . . . nothing more (really, a Fax?).    The U.S. takes the awknowledgement of the receipt of the fax by the ISI as "inferred consent".   

Government lawyers like Koh must scramble to revise their interpretation of international law so as to keep up with the new events that justify, in the eyes of the president, a military intervention.  The “coerced consent” doctrine, the “unable and unwilling” doctrine, and the exception for humanitarian intervention all whittle away at whatever part of the law on United Nations use of force blocks U.S. goals. If the United States ever decides to invade Iran in order to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, expect a new doctrine to take shape, perhaps one that emphasizes the unique dangers of nuclear weapons and Iran’s declared hostility toward a nearby country.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2012/10/obama_s_drone_war_is_probably_illegal_will_it_stop_.html

[felix rex]

It would be awesome if it were that easy. The ISI is a bunch of self-important assholes.

[p1k3]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

its like Obama can do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters.

It's a slippery slope, but that's why we elect people who we can trust with those kinds of responsibilities.  If we have an international terrorist in our sights and we can take them out with a drone strike, I'm all for it.

and if we kill a ton of innocent civilians, make an entire nation suffer PTSD, and potentially breed 1000s of more terrorist, that's cool too

[Rage Against the McKee]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

its like Obama can do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters.

It's a slippery slope, but that's why we elect people who we can trust with those kinds of responsibilities.  If we have an international terrorist in our sights and we can take them out with a drone strike, I'm all for it.

and if we kill a ton of innocent civilians, make an entire nation suffer PTSD, and potentially breed 1000s of more terrorist, that's cool too

AN ENTIRE NATION OF MASKS?

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

President Obama is an expert in constitutional law.  The deliberation that takes place behind the scenes between the executive branch and the highest ranking military officials is sufficient due process in the case of international terrorists.

its like Obama can do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters.

It's a slippery slope, but that's why we elect people who we can trust with those kinds of responsibilities.  If we have an international terrorist in our sights and we can take them out with a drone strike, I'm all for it.

and if we kill a ton of innocent civilians, make an entire nation suffer PTSD, and potentially breed 1000s of more terrorist, that's cool too

I think all of Israel has PTSD from the constant barrage of Hammas/Iranian missiles. I saw an episode of International House Hunters in Israel and a big selling point was the awesome bomb shelter.

[Rage Against the McKee]

I think all of Israel has PTSD from the constant barrage of Hammas/Iranian missiles. I saw an episode of International House Hunters in Israel and a big selling point was the awesome bomb shelter.

I bet the insurance is outrageous.