U.S. Seeks to Reject ACLU’s Request for Information on Drone Strikes

[morningfog]

The United States government is seeking to reject a lawsuit demanding information about drone strikes that target suspected terrorists overseas, saying releasing details on the program would have a major effect on counterterrorism efforts.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit in New York after a Freedom of Information Act request they submitted to the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, and the CIA, was denied. The rights group is seeking the release of a copy of the memo outlining the Obama administration's program that targets suspected terrorists overseas.

In its response, the government asked for a summary judgment dismissing the complaints and defended its decision not to release the requested information.

“Even to describe the number and details of most of these documents would reveal information that could damage the government’s counterterrorism efforts,” the government said, further maintaining that refusal to disclose the information is consistent with exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act that permit the withholding of records when doing so is in the public interest.

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/21/u-s-seeks-to-reject-aclus-request-for-information-on-drone-strikes/

[morningfog]

1. The Obama Administration has refused to provide the legal justification to the ACLU, Congress, UN.

All of whom have requested it in one form or another. The American people, and the international community, need to know on what basis these attacks are legal and how the decision is made to strike. No more secret wars!

[morningfog]

2. UN investigator says US government is dodging questions on its use of lethal drones

GENEVA - A U.N. human rights expert accused the U.S. government Wednesday of sidestepping his questions on its use of armed drones to carry out targeted killings overseas.

Christof Heyns, the U.N.'s independent investigator on extrajudicial killings, had asked the United States to lay out the legal basis and accountability procedures for the use of armed drones. He also wanted the U.S. to publish figures on the number of civilians killed in drone strikes against suspected terror leaders in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere.

After a two-day "interactive dialogue" with U.S. officials at the United Nations in Geneva, Heyns said he was still waiting for a satisfactory reply.

"I don't think we have the full answer to the legal framework, we certainly don't have the answer to the accountability issues," he told reporters on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/investigator+says+government+dodging+questions+lethal+drones/6812949/story.html#ixzz1yQLyAu6g

[morningfog]

3. (Pakistan) Ministry tells court: No agreement on drone attacks

There exists no verbal or written agreement between Islamabad and Washington on the US drone attacks inside Pakistan and therefore, these attacks violate the country’s sovereignty, the defence ministry informed the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday.

During the hearing into two petitions against drone attacks, deputy attorney general Mohammad Iqbal Mohmand told a bench comprising Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth that the Pakistani government had condemned drone attacks inside the country several times and a joint sitting of parliament had passed unanimous resolution against them but the strikes by the US pilotless aircraft continued.

The bench observed that apparently, the US conducted drone attacks inside Pakistan in violation of international laws, including the Geneva Convention, and therefore, the UN should have taken notice of them.

http://dawn.com/2012/06/21/ministry-tells-court-no-agreement-on-drone-attacks/

[Bonobo]

4. K&R nt

[Huey P. Long]

5. important info that seems to sink. what a shame, -eom

[morningfog]

6. I agree. What would DU be saying if it was Bush ignoring Congress, the ACLU, the UN and

other international organizations. Especially in regard to unitary covert wars taking innocent lives.

[Huey P. Long]

8. Just goes to show how fucked we are. They'd rather play the game, or too fucking stupid to know they

are being played.

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. Seems this just fine and dandy as long as a Dem adminstration is in charge.

[woo me with science]

7. DU Rec.

[treestar]

9. The Freedom of Information Act does have exceptions

There are tons of cases on the subject.

No administration has to respond to every request, and in fact sometimes have the duty not to.

[morningfog]

10. As long as they keep secret their legal justifications and decision making process

on the covert wars, they will be roundly criticized and condemned by civil rights organizations and the international community. There are possible war crimes. There is no excuse to keep this information secret except to cover their asses.

[treestar]

11. Again, the FOIA is a law and has exceptions

It is not a war crime to invoke a legal doctrine.

[morningfog]

12. The war crime was the reported strike on rescue workers after an initial strike.

The UN reporter on extra-judicial killings said there may be a war crime. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002837534

It isn't just the FOIA request the administration is stonewalling on. They have also refused to respond to Congressional requests and UN requests. It is starting to look very badly for the US. No nation supports our drone wars.

ETA: The FOIA request is for the legal justification, the basis for the drone wars. They have not invoked a valid FOIA exemption to that request.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. We the people don't need to know what our government does or who should be put on trial.

And, it being an election year, we don't want to embarrass our leaders.

[Huey P. Long]

15. Thats a large part of this. Duplicitous 'team' players who are nothing but hypocrites.