Droned to death

"It is legal and wise". With those words the administration opened up th door to killing Americans opposed it rules without the need for the rule of law or the courts. Now we are talking about Americans who have turned their backs on this country and decided to support terrorism, a slippery slope has now been created to eliminate "enemies of the state". The previous term makes the hair stand up on my arms. Those words can be used just for disagreeing with the current ruling class. We are awaiting to see the specifics of the memo that ratified and justified the warrant less kill vs capture, I suspect it leaves a very broad definition of what a terrorist is and when the state can act.

Sure I understand the killing of Anwar Al-Alki in a drone strike, but why did his sixteen year old son deserve to die? This boy was an American citizen and deserved due process to determine the extent of his involvement if any. Collateral damage of an American is unacceptable, especially I minor in the fight against terror.

Strange bedfellows me and the ACLU we both agree that without imminent danger to America, a citizen overseas should be brought to justice and that should be the rule not the exception. Too often are we now relying on kill them first let GOD sort them out. Where are the days of boots on the ground intelligence gleaned from live subjects. Renditions have been a staple of our counterintelligence strategy because of their silence and effectiveness. A person disappearing in the middle of the night doesn't give Al-Jazeera footage like a ten foot deep crater in Pakistan does.  What state wants to be known for the court less execution of it's citizens? Are we now third world savages at best? Are we proud that we are now equal in justice to China or Saudi Arabia? I would like to know who decides who goes on that kill list. What branch of the government will now be in charge of executing American citizens abroad? Will my tax dollars pay for those executions?

I want to see terrorist out of business just as much as anyone. What I do not want to see is more power given to the executive branch. Especially the power of life and death over a citizen, until they have been through a judicial process if possible. We have to begin to make clear rules of what the battle is being called these days. Does driving around picking up the laundry for a terrorist make you a terrorist? Should a Hellfire missile rain down from a Predator on an American citizen, even openly defiant against his country?