A few days ago in the Middle Eastern nation of Yemen, two American citizens and several Yemeni natives were killed after a CIA drone located their vehicle. A military jet then fired a missile at the vehicle, killing everyone inside. Now, of course I read, watch, and listen to the news, and of course I know that these people were all presumed (by the United States government – this time in the form of the CIA) to be terrorists and sworn enemies of the United States. In fact the two Americans killed in the attack had already participated in acts of terror (we are told). As we sometimes say in my ancestral home, these people “prob'ly needed killin’.” Of course this is not the first drone-led attack on terrorists; in fact, many times drones are armed, negating the need for a human-piloted military aircraft altogether. Drone attacks, as well as the occasional firing of a missile or two from Navy ships, have gone on at least since 9/11, the official beginning of the War On Terror. Oh yes, even Bill Clinton ordered a couple of them fired. Lately, though, I have to admit that I have been concerned and dismayed at these incidents.
I am not soft on “terror,” as I can hear it being shouted across the Internet. I am just beginning to understand the implications of these so-called precision strikes. And now, two American citizens, suspected terrorists or not, were intentionally killed without any sort of “due process.” Again I can hear people shouting, “Oh, you are just concerned now because AMERICANS are being killed!” Well, no…I was concerned already, but even more so where American civil rights are concerned. But there are others who hold the view that the two Americans were in a FOREIGN NATION and were obviously (again, per the CIA) engaged in planning terrorist activities. There are at least ten editorials that I know of that are calling people who feel the way I do “misguided” and defending Federal Government actions as “legitimate.” The Dallas Morning News and the Kansas Star contain two such editorials. These editorials laud the Government’s actions since an apparently severe blow has once again been dealt to Al-Qaeda. Here is one sample:
A drone attack last week killed two high-ranking Americans inside al-Qaida. While the killings have prompted some concerns among civil rights advocates here, it should be noted that there was virtually no protest on Middle Eastern streets.
The fact that this attack didn't raise eyebrows in the Muslim world is an encouraging sign that popular support for al-Qaida's doctrine of violence is fading. A rocket launched from a drone destroyed a vehicle carrying Anwar al-Awlaki, who inspired the 2009 Fort Hood attack and the "underwear bomber," and Samir Khan, who was a vital English language recruiter and published the al-Qaida magazine Inspire. Both were American citizens, but both were also sworn enemies of the United States.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/05/3188291/commentary-a-legitimate-strike.html#ixzz1ZvpJju9n
(In case you missed it, note that the writer of the above editorial believes it is "okay" to kill others as long as the people in the concerned nation "didn't raise an eyebrow.")
By the way, it is even difficult to get the details down for certain. One account I have seen stated that the drone led a US military jet to the “target” while the account above says the drone itself fired the missile. I suppose it does not really matter, and each account is certainly possible with today’s military technology.
Why am I concerned, you may ask? Good, I am glad you asked that question. One reason I am concerned is that two US citizens, as much as we disliked them, were tried by missile and condemned, with no chance of appeal. Now, I will grant that standard criminal prosecution was not appropriate. A military tribunal should have tried the two, but even that measure is out of the question at this time. Not that I am defending terrorists! I just believe our Constitution is still in effect, even after 9/11. Some may say that the two Americans were not in America, and therefore were not “covered” by the Constitution. To that, I will say that the American Government (again, in the form of the CIA) was acting against two AMERICANS. Last time I checked, our rights were inalienable, remember?
Another reason I am concerned about this incident is that it is another instance in which the United States acted in a way that could be construed as an act of war against another sovereign nation. Yemen is a small nation, but it is still a sovereign nation. I know little about Yemen except what I read, see, and hear on the news; that being that Yemen is a hot bed of terrorist activity. Plus, Yemen is a largely lawless, “tribal-“type land where the legitimate government is only nominally in control. Yet who are we, as a nation, I mean, to take it upon ourselves to violate another nation’s sovereignty? I only ask this because I know for a fact that I would be outraged beyond all description, if, say, Cuba fired a missile into the United States to take out a “terrorist” target. Even if the targeted person were justifiably killed, I would demand that war be declared against Cuba. The same with England, Israel, or any other nation. Our nation is sovereign, but so are the other nations. Of course we know that Yemen will not declare war on the United States in this case. But I have to wonder if these two men would have been killed if they had been spotted driving down a country road in England? What about strolling along outside the Kremlin? I doubt it! Russia, with what was left of its old military machine, would have retaliated immediately.
Additionally, I wonder what sort of image OUR nation is presenting to the world. I mean, I get it, we must be perceived as being “tough on Terror.” But at this point I am starting to think there may well be two kinds of terror. The first kind of terror is that which most of the world has known for quite some time, and to which we, the US, were exposed with the 9/11 attacks. But the second kind of terror may be a new and growing apprehension in which people around the world begin to wonder if they are safe from US, the United States. Many citizens of nations such as Afghanistan and, yes, even Yemen, know that they live day by day beside extremists who are no doubt plotting death and mayhem around the world. They must only hope that they are not standing too close to any suspected terrorists should a missile be fired from a CIA drone or a US military jet. They can only pray that the person piloting the drone can differentiate between law-abiding citizens and the intended target.
Finally, I have to wonder how long it will be until US drones are turned against United States citizens on UNITED STATES SOIL! That is certainly not as outlandish and impossible as it may sound. The CIA, as a “secret” agency, could easily carryout clandestine operations in the United States. But it won’t, you say? Just read about the CIA-NYPD connection, then see if you still feel the same. The thought that lingers in my mind is that the terrorists are winning the War On Terror. I say this because we, the American People, have been conditioned now to accept these “small” violations of international law in the name of “National Security.” And even more distressing, we have allowed our liberty here at home to erode as we give away more and more of our rights in return for “security,” US Government-style.
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