The Drone Strike program is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and an EGREGIOUS violation!

[JustAlex]

For those of you that keep believing that I'm a democrat and fully support Obama, hopefully this thread will help you see that not only is that NOT true, I am more than willing to ATTACK both sides!

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb...gates-20130210

These drone strikes on Americans and "terrorists" in foreign countries are DESPICABLE and a complete and utter disregard of our constitution and our beliefs.

The Obama administration should be EMBARRASSED and this program should come to a complete halt immediately!

To any of my liberal friends.....I suggest you do NOT get in line and keep quiet about this.

What Obama and his administration are doing is unlawful and a disregard for human life.

Consider the following....

"TBIJ reports that from June 2004 through mid-September 2012, available data indicate that drone strikes killed 2,562 - 3,325 people in Pakistan, of whom 474 - 881 were civilians, including 176 children."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/25/world/asia/pakistan-us-drone-strikes

^This is INEXCUSABLE and SICKENING!

[habsheaven]

When you present the numbers by themself it looks dispicable. Compare them to previous methods such as cluster bombs and suddenly the collateral damage looks pretty darn good. When it comes to fighting terrorism (domestic or international), I am anything but a liberal. Do what needs to be done to accomplish your objectives. If innocents die, that is on the host country. They should be doing a better job preventing terrorists from operating in their countries.

[pghin08]

I don't mind the use of drones, but I definitely don't like the fact that they can just turn them on US citizens. I remember last year when they used a drone strike to kill Anwar al-Aulaqi (who in my opinion was the most dangerous man in the world), I was actually in favor of it, even though he was a US citizen. But the more time I've had to reflect on it, I changed my tune. Regardless of how dangerous I think al-Aulaqi was, he was still a natural born American. He had a right to be caught, tried and convicted of his crimes, not just bombed off the face of the Earth.

I don't necessarily believe that this is a slippery slope that could lead to the government killing me in a drone strike for being critical of them, but I do think that it's a disconcerting extension of US power.

[mrveggieman]

I got kind of mixed views. For people like OBL and Anwar al-Aulaqi I don't feel sorry for them one bit and they got what they deserved. I really would have actually like to see them suffer a lot before they died. However I do have a problem with the gov't killing people without sufficient proof of their crimes. You are right it is a very slippery slope that our gov't is taking. Also yes Obama made the call and shares some of the blame but there is no way you Obama haters can tell me that McCain or Romney would have not done the same thing if not worse.

[pghin08]

I got kind of mixed views. For people like OBL and Anwar al-Aulaqi I don't feel sorry for them one bit and they got what they deserved. I really would have actually like to see them suffer a lot before they died. However I do have a problem with the gov't killing people without sufficient proof of their crimes. You are right it is a very slippery slope that our gov't is taking. Also yes Obama made the call and shares some of the blame but there is no way you Obama haters can tell me that McCain or Romney would have not done the same thing if not worse.

Honestly, it doesn't matter what McCain or Romney would have done. The fact is that Obama is doing it, and I don't think it's okay.

[tpeichel]

I simply don't trust the government with this power. Just look at the decision to use a drone strike to kill a 16 year old American. How was he an imminent threat? of course, the government won't tell us, so we're just supposed to trust them that this kid didn't deserve his due process protections.

As far as the slippery slope goes, once Americans get used to drones patrolling domestic skies and peering into our backyards, how easy will it be for the police to justify using drones to take out someone like Chris Dorner who is an "imminent threat" and very dangerous? Why risk the live of police officers in an armed confrontation when a single hellfire missile will do the trick?

[Zimbow]

Charlottesville, Virginia has passed a 2 year ban on drone use. C'ville is an hour south of me. I believe Va. is going to pass the same legislature. I heard LAPD was thinking about putting a drone in the sky to look for that Dorner character.

[shrewsbury]

so what, if it is federal law, states can't stop it.

[Wickabee]

I don't mind the use of drones, but I definitely don't like the fact that they can just turn them on US citizens. I remember last year when they used a drone strike to kill Anwar al-Aulaqi (who in my opinion was the most dangerous man in the world), I was actually in favor of it, even though he was a US citizen. But the more time I've had to reflect on it, I changed my tune. Regardless of how dangerous I think al-Aulaqi was, he was still a natural born American. He had a right to be caught, tried and convicted of his crimes, not just bombed off the face of the Earth.

I don't necessarily believe that this is a slippery slope that could lead to the government killing me in a drone strike for being critical of them, but I do think that it's a disconcerting extension of US power.

See, there's part of me that doesn't get this. You have two guys who harmed the nation to the same degree. One should be tried because of where he was born. The other should just die because of where he wasn't born.

An enemy is an enemy no matter where he's from.

[mrveggieman]

Or how about people like OBL and Anwar al-Aulaqi not be subject to drone strikes but capture and bought to trial with one catch. If convicted of a terrorism charge they automatically forefit their 8th amendment right of protection from cruel and usual punishment. Terrorists, child molestors/killers and people who commit hate crimes do not deserve any 8th amendment protections. That way they can be tourted and executed in the most inhumane way possible.