Drone Strikes on Americans OK (Page 3)

I am not suggesting I agree with the drone strikes, but the government does not need a loophole. 

Even though you are a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, if you point a gun at a police officer, they can use deadly force without a warrant, arrest, or a trial.  If you present an immediate threat, they can execture you.  Nothing new there.

What the government is arguing with the drones is that senior al-Qa'ida members believe to be involved in planning attacks on the U.S. present an immediate threat and can be exectued, regardless whether or not they are U.S. citizens.  The government isn't suggesting the constitution doesn't apply to the subjects of a drone attack, just that they present an immediate threat, and if they can't be captured, they can be neutralized.

These are attacks carried out abroad. But it is still B.S. to me. Either I am a citizen afforded my constitutional rights, or I am not. "IF" the Federal government lawyers came up with some loop hole as to how they can justify executing an American citizen without due process and not violate a plethora of laws... then it needs to be sealed. As an American citizen, I do not want my Government to have such power.

The Constitution means something... or it means nothing. 

Has the US officially declared war against al-Qaida and are the members of al-Qaida defined as enemy combatants?

I am not suggesting I agree with the drone strikes, but the government does not need a loophole. 

Even though you are a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, if you point a gun at a police officer, they can use deadly force without a warrant, arrest, or a trial.  If you present an immediate threat, they can execture you.  Nothing new there.

What the government is arguing with the drones is that senior al-Qa'ida members believe to be involved in planning attacks on the U.S. present an immediate threat and can be exectued, regardless whether or not they are U.S. citizens.  The government isn't suggesting the constitution doesn't apply to the subjects of a drone attack, just that they present an immediate threat, and if they can't be captured, they can be neutralized.

Ya.. there are actually laws on the books defining that... murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Since when has anyone been given the right to execute anyone "thinking", planning or maybe might murder someone. It isn't "self-defense" from an immediate threat, and it's B.S. If you have them on surveillance, then you have them.

And this isn't on American soil.

They can catch Bin Laden in the backwoods of Pakistan but can't catch Jason Bourne at Waterloo Station in London?

And stop complaining. You're just mad because your guy isn't around to renege on his campaign promises.

I'm not complaining at all.  I support the Global War on Terror and I have no idea what to do about Gitmo.  I wouldn't close it because what would you do with those people?  If Obama really hated America, he'd release those people.  He doesn't hate America.

As for Drone Strikes on US Citizens.  This has to do with Americans who become members of AQ.  I would support drone strikes on them televised as a warning to other wackos.  If Obama really hated America, he'd do these drone strikes without discussing his authority to do so.  He doesn't hate America.

I think we're also pretty naive to believe that we're not doing enhanced interrogations.  If anything, we aren't because the Israeli/Saudi/Kuwaiti/Turkish/Polish/Hungarian intelligence official is the one doing it, we're just in the room while that guy is asking the questions we want asked.  After the interrogators give up on them, we send them to Gitmo for 3 hots and a cot. I believe we're doing this and the administration is being quiet about it. See no evil, speak no evil.

So how does one legally become a member of AQ?  On your next trip overseas if I call the government and tell them that I saw you on an AQ website trying to create an account are you ok when them killing you and your family even though I'm totally making it up?
This is the issue with no due process, we're "trusting" the government to make decisions based on intelligence, but often the intelligence is somebody telling somebody about somebody they heard talking about this one friend of his.  Now obviously I'm exaggerating but when we're talking about killing American citizens abroad I strongly oppose this.

We had "good intelligence" that there were WMDs in Iraq too

I can confirm that there were at least 2 storage areas of chemical weapons.  Saw them with my own eyes (through a gas mask of course).

Those are WMD right?

But not "vast stockpiles." 

I'll stipulate to that fact.

It was on the cover of Wash Post! 

I didn't find it, I was inventorying it with my EOD team.  X Drums of Yellow Crap, X Drums of Green Crap, etc.

There's also a chemical factory in Al Qaim that produces all of the ingredients of mustard gas.  Anyone who was stationed there gets a special page in their medical records for tracking like Agent Orange.