When These Experts Savage U.S. Drone Policy, It's Time to Worry

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/when-even-these-experts-savage-obamas-drone-policy-its-time-to-worry/374132/

?n8g712

Last month, experts drawn from the highest reaches of establishment national-security circles quietly released a report that savages Team Obama's lethal drone program. Repeated attempts are made to give those in power the benefit of every doubt. "We believe that US government decision-makers make targeting decisions in good faith and with genuine care," the report states. "All of us on this task force have worked inside the executive branch and have great respect for the integrity and thoughtfulness of the individuals connected with targeted strike decisions, from the president down to the men and women piloting weaponized UAVs."

The expert panel, led by General John P. Abizaid, former commander of U.S. Central Command, and Georgetown Professor Rosa Brooks, former counselor to the undersecretary of Defense for policy, nevertheless issued all of the following stinging critiques:

"To the best of our knowledge ... the US executive branch has yet to engage in a serious cost-benefit analysis of targeted UAV strikes as a routine counterterrorism tool."

"We are concerned that the Obama administration’s heavy reliance on targeted killings as a pillar of US counterterrorism strategy rests on questionable assumptions, and risks increasing instability and escalating conflicts."

"We are concerned by the continuing lack of transparency relating to US targeted killings."

"... it would be difficult to conclude that US targeted strikes are consistent with core rule of law norms."

"US practices set a dangerous precedent that may be seized upon by other states—not all of which are likely to behave as scrupulously as US officials."

The secrecy that surrounds the targeted-killing program is incompatible with democracy, as the U.S. "has been fighting ... a covert, multi-year killing program. Without additional information, the citizenry cannot evaluate US targeted strikes."

"Unmanned aerial vehicle strikes also raise questions about the continued efficacy of traditional congressional oversight mechanisms."

"Export control rules for UAVs do not appear well-suited to advancing US national security objectives."

[Octafish]

1. What's their problem? CIA hired Blackwater for Drone Targeting.

So it's official.

James Risen wrote about it in The Times: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6359835

A drone here. A drone there. Pretty soon, no problem!

[MisterP]

3. no, they're hiring Xe! Blackwater is a foul mercenary corps that the nasty Pretender used

Xe is a cool, clean and definitely-not-fundie-led definitely-not-mercenary outfit that Obama has employed for his no-boots-on-the-ground-until-there's-boots-on-the-ground policy

[gratuitous]

5. Like any other outlaw, Blackwater is on to another alias

They're now called Academi.

[Octafish]

6. Company like that would be welcome to shield its profits offshore. Bahrain, say.

Crown Prince level.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/uae-prince-hires-blackwater-founder-to-set-up-foreign-force/2011/05/15/AF7S9O4G_story.html

[marions ghost]

2. Blistering

I appreciate them speaking out.

"The citizenry cannot evaluate US targeted strikes..."

[gratuitous]

7. Well, what do the citizenry have to do with it, anyway?

Sure, we're the ones paying for all this mayhem and we're the ones against whom the victims will seek their revenge. Really, though, it's not like we're ever consulted on military matters. We just pay the bills.

[marions ghost]

9. Good point. I guess we used to think we were consulted?

Or at least feel we were represented by somebody (the media, other voices of reason) who could affect the agenda of the military industrial complex?

Maybe we never were, in reality. Maybe they've had carte blanche all along and we are just waking up to it...

For these military professionals to be speaking out seems historic. But I wonder how widely it will be reported.

There are a lot of good people in the military--the majority. My criticisms of the system as a whole doesn't include people for whom it's a job with good benefits.

[gratuitous]

10. The only way it's going to change

Is if we make a stink about it, so I'm encouraged by this critique.

[marions ghost]

12. I agree

We have to stop the war making machine. Soldiers and industry workers are just fodder for it, and its appetite is voracious.

We live in a permanently installed war economy. Americans have to reject this in a big way.

[marmar]

4. K/R

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. No cause justifies the deaths of innocent people. Albert Camus

[RobertEarl]

11. They are way behind DUers

Heck, maybe they got most of their words from DU?

I say that because their words are pretty much the same as what we read on DU years ago.

DU: Ahead of just about everyone. No wonder there are trolls in here all the time trying to distract our best.

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. time for droney

[Comrade Grumpy]

14. Kick for a life an death issue.