As reported by Karim Kahn's attorney on Democracy Now, about 1400 innocent people have been killed in Pakistan by U. S. Fed Gov't drone strikes. A few years ago, Kahn's brother and son were killed in just that way. He became an activist (wouldn't you?) and launched a couple of lawsuits against both the U.S. and Pakistani Gov'ts. Just recently, he was abducted, hooded, taken to a basement cell somewhere, beaten, and tortured by masked men. They "interrogated" him about terrorism. After nine days of that, he was released.
Other victims (on the broadcast) told of watching their grandmothers, sons, daughters, and other family/friends literally blown to pieces by Hellfire missles from drones... basically right in front of their eyes. Some of the witnesses were injured as well. You won't see those stories on the Corporate Media news; they're too busy reporting on the weather...for anywhere from one-third to up to two-thirds of their whopping 15-17 minute broadcasts. [Yes, the weather can be important; but, it can be covered in two minutes.] Democracy Now reports significant news...for an hour.
According to the rules laid out in the Constitution of the United States of America, which NO LAW over-rides, we are not currently at war---not in Pakistan, Waziristan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Colombia, or anywhere else. So presently, in terms of killing people without a trial, the only Constitutional justification for that is Letters of Marque and Reprisal. Those are permitted by the Constitution. Legally though, those cannot originate from Obama (or any President); they can be issued only by CONGRESS. Whether anyone likes it or not, that means we have (at the highest levels) an Outlaw Fed Gov't. Obama is ordering drone strikes and JSOC incursions (assassinating suspects) at a level higher than any President in our history...and it's all unconstitutional. That makes it beyond ironic that he was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Drone Strikers and JSOC Assassins don't even know for certain if they're getting the right people. The victims are suspects. That's not taking into account the ones who are later found to be totally innocent victims (not even suspects)---wrong place, wrong time---hundreds of them, perhaps thousands. Obama recently lied in a speech in which he claimed that the drone strikes were so targeted, so precise that there was very little chance of innocent bystanders being injured or killed...shades of Rumsfeld pontificating on the strikes in Iraq, another falsehood. There are too many witnesses in Pakistan and Waziristan who contradict him. The illegal manner in which suspects are killed by drones is somewhat akin to a person shooting an RPG round into a house filled with people...in order to kill an ant. The whole business is shameful. Not too long ago, a long-time Drone Operator quit because he believed the Constitution was being violated relative to permitted uses of the military...he was absolutely correct. He also had great concerns over how suspects were being identified...largely by NSA metadata and cell phone tracking. I guess the CIA and the military have never heard of cell phones being stolen, or lost, or borrowed, or loaned out, or left "on" when discarded.
We have been propagandized and bamboozled. The "War on Terrorism" is not a legal war; fighting terrorism is a Law Enforcement issue, not a military action issue. Our Constitution is being ignored every single day...never mind common sense, morality, ethics, and justice. Relative to "war", this dismissing of the Supreme Law of the Land has been going on for decades. Because of that, many (perhaps most) Americans think that we legally are at "war" with someone. It's a lie, and a blatant one. It's pure, unadulterated propaganda...and it has a long history.
Every Obama-ordered drone strike or JSOC incursion is unconstitutional. We are not legally at war, and as far as I know, Congress has issued no assassination orders. The War Powers Act does not trump the Supreme Law of the Land, nor does the PATRIOT Act, or any other law. As Commander-in-Chief, any President is constrained by Constitutional use of the military. Read that document---find out specifically what the military can be used for---there are only THREE legal uses permitted. That can be changed by Constitutional Amendment...but there has been no such Amendment. Furthermore, at the risk of beating a dead horse--- NO LAW TRUMPS THE CONSTITUTION. [Only a Treaty can do that, so beware of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Trans-Atlantic Trade Agreement, both of which are being promoted by Corporatist Obama...and many, many other Democrats and Republicans. All at the behest of the Oligarchy...and as I've said over & over, it's not any kind of "conspiracy". It's almost completely out in the open; that includes the promotion of "war".]
With these unconstitutional drone strikes and JSOC incursions, we're making more and more enemies around the world. Never mind the illegal gathering of bulk data by the NSA. Never mind the fact that FBI Agents now can write their own warrants...no due process needed. Never mind the fact that we're holding suspects for years & years with no charges, no trial, and little hope. Never mind the insanity of having hundreds and hundreds (900 was the last report I saw) of American military bases around the world. All of the above are making us less safe, less free. and more despised. It breaks my heart to see my once-respected country go down this Corporatist, Fascist path.
Partly just my opinion...and that of many, many others.
Be Well
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