While most people reading this are well aware of Eric Holder’s letter to Senator Patrick J. Leahy that four U.S. citizens have been killed by drones strikes, the real story here is that it appears only one of them was killed intentionally. The others were apparently collateral damage. Interesting that “targeted” strikes only end up with a 25% success rate, and this is when we are talking about American citizens. So how many innocent men, women and children have we really killed in these strikes. Does anyone even care? From Eric Holder’s letter:
Since 2009, the United States, in the conduct of U.S. counterterrorism operations against al Qa’ida and its associated forces outside of areas of active hostilities, has specifically targeted and killed one U.S. citizen, Anwar Al-Aulaqi. The United States is further aware of three other U.S. citizens who have been killed in such U.S. counterterrorism operations over that same time period: Samir Khan, ‘Abd al Rahman Anwar al-Aulaqi and Jude Kennan Mohammad. These individuals were not specifically targeted by the United States.
Did you catch all of that? That’s a lot of very scary twisted jargon that can basically justify anything. I mean “associated forces,” “outside of areas of active hostilities,” and “not specifically targeted.” We’re in big trouble and it’s not because of terrorists…
Here’s a link to the entire Holder letter.
In Liberty,
Mike
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It’s beyond obvious who the real terrorists are. The only people left wondering who they are is the herd of sheeple.
You’re not wrong, but I am left a awestruck by the schism between the two realities, ours and theirs. I find myself wondering how deep it goes. Will financial collapse be the jolt that awakens them? Will world war? Is their slumber permanent? Is it so deep they will defend it? Will they populate a power base that will support Washington, and the decreasing regional governments, come Hell or High Water?
Sometimes I wag my head in disbelief, deeply concerned about what future role they will play.
So far they have defended it. Will an acute crisis awaken them, or drive them into the arms of a psycho demagogue?
Maybe it depends on who wins the info war for peoples’ minds over these next few years.
Sad to say, I’m not impressed so far by the reactions of most of the ‘smart, good’ people I know.
I don’t like to use the word “we” when talking about foreign policy. Contra-Obama, the government is certainly not us, and “we” have nothing to do with these atrocities.
When wiil civil servant not be above the law?
Cornel West: Obama is a ‘war criminal’ who has killed ‘over 200 children’
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/15/cornel-west-obama-is-a-war-criminal-who-has-killed-over-200-children/