Kucinich Announces Congressional Briefing on U.S. Combat Drone Program

[SA210]

Briefing to be held November 16, 2012
Dennis Kucinich will host a briefing Friday November 16, 2012 to discuss targeted killing, the implication of drone policy at home and abroad and the 4th Amendment.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUzpIHCu8BE

Kucinich Announces Congressional Briefing on U.S. Combat Drone Program
Massive Death Toll Belies Claim that Drone Strikes are only used in Cases of an “Imminent Threat”


Washington, Nov 3 -
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following video criticizing the lack of oversight in the United States’ combat drones program. Kucinich also announced plans to hold a Congressional briefing on the drone program on November 16, 2012.

See the video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUzpIHCu8BE&feature=youtu.be).


“The Washington Post recently published (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/plan-for-hunting-terrorists-signals-us-intends-to-keep-adding-names-to-kill-lists/2012/10/23/4789b2ae-18b3-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_story.html?hpid=z4) a three part series on the plans of the Obama Administration to institutionalize the practice of targeted killing by unmanned drones abroad. According to previous and current Administration officials who were interviewed, the institutionalization and expansion of the drone program means that we have only reached ‘the midpoint of what was once known as the global war on terrorism.’ This means that the targeted killing of suspects by the United States is becoming a permanent feature of our counterterrorism strategy.


“Yet the program has thus far been conducted with virtually no oversight from Congress or any other judicial body and absolutely no due process. Congress has even been denied the right to be informed of and view the legal memos which the Administration uses as its basis to justify these killings. Despite increasing calls for transparency and the legal justification from both Members of Congress and a broad range of advocacy organizations, targeted killing is ‘so routine that the Obama Administration has spent much of the past year codifying and streamlining the processes that sustain much of it.’


“The battlefield has been stretched to include nearly anywhere in the world, making it easier to justify the flouting of international law and the laws of war. But the United States is not at war with Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. Such killings are only lawful under a very narrow set of circumstances. We cannot claim to be meeting those narrow circumstances when the number of people killed by such strikes, including innocent civilians, is estimated to exceed 3,000. This number alone demonstrates that the Administration’s claims that such strikes occur only under ‘imminent threat’ is patently false.

“The expansion of the use of surveillance drones here in the United States also raises significant concerns about the safeguarding of privacy and what information may be collected without prior authorization. Any government or local law enforcement agency deploying such drones must ensure that the 4th amendment rights and the right to privacy of U.S. citizens are not being violated by the use of this technology.


“Congress cannot stand idly by as these actions are being taken in the name of the American people. That is why I am hosting a briefing on Friday, November 16, 2012 to discuss the implications of our drones policy here at home, and abroad.”

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=311817

[LnGrrrR]

Sounds good. Nothing will probably come of it, but it should be interesting to see.

[SA210]

Sounds good. Nothing will probably come of it, but it should be interesting to see.

I'm glad he announced it before the election instead of waiting till afterwards. No surprise it hasn't gotten much attention though.

I too think nothing may come of it, but I applaud him for not letting this go.

[RandomGuy]

Briefing to be held November 16, 2012
Dennis Kucinich will host a briefing Friday November 16, 2012 to discuss targeted killing, the implication of drone policy at home and abroad and the 4th Amendment.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUzpIHCu8BE

Kucinich Announces Congressional Briefing on U.S. Combat Drone Program
Massive Death Toll Belies Claim that Drone Strikes are only used in Cases of an “Imminent Threat”


Washington, Nov 3 -
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following video criticizing the lack of oversight in the United States’ combat drones program. Kucinich also announced plans to hold a Congressional briefing on the drone program on November 16, 2012.

See the video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUzpIHCu8BE&feature=youtu.be).


“The Washington Post recently published (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/plan-for-hunting-terrorists-signals-us-intends-to-keep-adding-names-to-kill-lists/2012/10/23/4789b2ae-18b3-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_story.html?hpid=z4) a three part series on the plans of the Obama Administration to institutionalize the practice of targeted killing by unmanned drones abroad. According to previous and current Administration officials who were interviewed, the institutionalization and expansion of the drone program means that we have only reached ‘the midpoint of what was once known as the global war on terrorism.’ This means that the targeted killing of suspects by the United States is becoming a permanent feature of our counterterrorism strategy.


“Yet the program has thus far been conducted with virtually no oversight from Congress or any other judicial body and absolutely no due process. Congress has even been denied the right to be informed of and view the legal memos which the Administration uses as its basis to justify these killings. Despite increasing calls for transparency and the legal justification from both Members of Congress and a broad range of advocacy organizations, targeted killing is ‘so routine that the Obama Administration has spent much of the past year codifying and streamlining the processes that sustain much of it.’


“The battlefield has been stretched to include nearly anywhere in the world, making it easier to justify the flouting of international law and the laws of war. But the United States is not at war with Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. Such killings are only lawful under a very narrow set of circumstances. We cannot claim to be meeting those narrow circumstances when the number of people killed by such strikes, including innocent civilians, is estimated to exceed 3,000. This number alone demonstrates that the Administration’s claims that such strikes occur only under ‘imminent threat’ is patently false.

“The expansion of the use of surveillance drones here in the United States also raises significant concerns about the safeguarding of privacy and what information may be collected without prior authorization. Any government or local law enforcement agency deploying such drones must ensure that the 4th amendment rights and the right to privacy of U.S. citizens are not being violated by the use of this technology.


“Congress cannot stand idly by as these actions are being taken in the name of the American people. That is why I am hosting a briefing on Friday, November 16, 2012 to discuss the implications of our drones policy here at home, and abroad.”

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=311817



So when you posted:

Blue team evades questions on Obama's NDAA and Kill List

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204512


You were full of shit?

I had kinda figured it out already, but LOL at you fucking up your own theory with your newest thread. smh

[boutons_deux]

I bet a large majority don't even know about the murderous, imperialistic drone program, and Congress knows it.

There's no stopping it.

[SA210]

So when you posted:


http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204512


You were full of shit?

I had kinda figured it out already, but LOL at you fucking up your own theory with your newest thread. smh

Hey moron, Kucinich is different than most of the blue team. Kucinich has always felt this way while the others sweep it under the rug, he has never said otherwise. I like your pretend victory. I like that you think you proved some kind of point. :lol It's funny.

lol figured out
lol backstabbing your own family on internet message boards

[SA210]

I bet a large majority don't even know about the murderous, imperialistic drone program, and Congress knows it.

There's no stopping it.

The families and young ones who have lost loved ones to our drones know about it. When they grow up they will hate us because of it. We will wonder why they hate us. Those who will wonder why are the ones who supported the current President and politicians who are doing it right now.

[boutons_deux]

"the ones who supported the current President and politicians who are doing it right now."

The MIC comes up with these (technological) programs, costing $100Ms, if not $Bs. No President will stop them. The Empire Strikes First.

As Ari Fleischer said, "watch what you say" (when lives 1000s of miles from USA, or you will get visited by a Hellfire drone.)

[SA210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_UFggJCO-o


Over the past four years, drone strikes have increased in number dramatically and are occurring in countries such as Pakistan and Yemen. In many cases, these drone strikes are occurring far from any internationally recognized battlefield. Despite claims by the Administration that the strikes cause few – if any – civilian casualties and are vital to our national security, there is increasing evidence that such strikes cause significant harm to civilian populations and serve as a powerful recruitment tool for terrorists.

Thus far, Congress has been denied the right to read the legal framework used by the Administration to justify the drone strikes. This means that these strikes are being carried out with virtually no transparency, accountability or judicial review. Victims or targets of the strikes are denied the right to due process. Innocent civilians and American citizens are getting the death penalty without so much as a trial. We do not know what measures, if any, the Joint Special Operations Command or the Central Intelligence Agency have for recognizing harm to civilian populations or to conduct investigations of who was killed.


Congress Hears Expert Testimony About Combat Drone Program


Washington, Nov 16 -
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today hosted a Congressional briefing to examine the United States’ policy regarding the use of armed drones. U.S. drone strikes are estimated to have killed thousands of people. In Pakistan have killed an estimated 3,378 people; in Yemen such strikes are estimated to have killed as many as 1,952 people. Drone strikes in Somalia have killed as many as 170 people. The first U.S. drone strike took place in 2002.

Read Congressman Kucinich’s opening statement here (http://kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/2012.11.14_DK_Stmnt_Drones_Briefing.pdf).

See video of the full event here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_UFggJCO-o&feature=youtu.be).

Experts included:

Professor James Cavallaro: The founding director of Stanford Law School’s International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic.
Bob Naiman: Policy Director of Just Foreign Policy and participant in recent delegation trip to Pakistan.
Medea Benjamin: Cofounder of Global Exchange and Code Pink and participant in a recent delegation trip to Pakistan.
Frank Jannuzi: Deputy Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.


http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=312523

[SA210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HB67FW-1AU

[SA210]

Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich take on White House over legality of drone strikes


11/28/2012
Nicholas Ballasy

Democratic Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Republican Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Democratic New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt Jr. are challenging the Obama administration to release documents it uses to legally justify drone strikes overseas.

If passed by Congress, their “resolution of inquiry” would require Attorney General Eric Holder to “transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, any documents and legal memoranda in the Attorney General’s possession relating to the practice of targeted killing of United States citizens and targets abroad.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, Kucinich said national security concerns do not justify unconstitutional measures.

“We must reject the notion that protecting our national security requires revoking the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. No president can act as judge, jury and executioner, and any attempt to do so is in direct violation of our Constitution, which gives our citizens a right to life and a fair trial,” Kucinich said.

[excerpt]

http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/28/ron-paul-and-dennis-kucinich-take-on-white-house-over-legality-of-drone-strikes/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kucinich, Paul and Holt Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Compel White House to Release Legal Justification for Drone Strikes


Washington D.C. (November 28, 2012) – Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Ron Paul (R-TX) and Rush Holt Jr. (D-NJ) today introduced H. Res. 819, a resolution of inquiry to compel the Administration to release documents which it reportedly uses as the legal justification for the use of drones to assassinate people abroad, including United States citizens, without trial. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, our drone strikes have killed more than 3,000 people including as many as 1,105 innocent civilians since 2002.



“We must reject the notion that protecting our national security requires revoking the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. No President can act as judge, jury and executioner, and any attempt to do so is in direct violation of our Constitution which gives our citizens a right to life and a fair trial.



“According to a memorandum prepared by the White House Office of Legal Counsel, when the United States conducts such an attack it is legal. The Congress and the American people have a right to know this legal framework. Congress has an obligation as the sole authority under the Constitution to declare war to know how the use of force abroad is being used, especially against U.S. citizens,” said Kucinich.



Congressman Kucinich today introduced a Resolution of Inquiry, a resolution used to compel information from the White House, which, if passed, would require the White House to make the Office of Legal Counsel memo available to Congress.



“Our strikes are creating a legal precedent that the world will emulate. From Iran to China, other nations are very close to developing comparable technology. If Congress doesn’t act to ensure proper oversight and legal authority for the use of this technology, the consequences could be dire for the American people,” said Kucinich.



See a copy of the legislation here (http://kucinich.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=296706-6958271). Under the parliamentary procedure of a Resolution of Inquiry, the resolution must be sent to committee and considered under expedited rules.

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=312882

[ElNono]

good luck with that

[SA210]

Fuck


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=543EU5F14uE




Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich take on White House over legality of drone strikes


11/28/2012
Nicholas Ballasy

Democratic Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Republican Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Democratic New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt Jr. are challenging the Obama administration to release documents it uses to legally justify drone strikes overseas.

If passed by Congress, their “resolution of inquiry” would require Attorney General Eric Holder to “transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, any documents and legal memoranda in the Attorney General’s possession relating to the practice of targeted killing of United States citizens and targets abroad.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, Kucinich said national security concerns do not justify unconstitutional measures.

“We must reject the notion that protecting our national security requires revoking the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. No president can act as judge, jury and executioner, and any attempt to do so is in direct violation of our Constitution, which gives our citizens a right to life and a fair trial,” Kucinich said.

[excerpt]

http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/28/ron-paul-and-dennis-kucinich-take-on-white-house-over-legality-of-drone-strikes/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kucinich, Paul and Holt Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Compel White House to Release Legal Justification for Drone Strikes


Washington D.C. (November 28, 2012) – Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Ron Paul (R-TX) and Rush Holt Jr. (D-NJ) today introduced H. Res. 819, a resolution of inquiry to compel the Administration to release documents which it reportedly uses as the legal justification for the use of drones to assassinate people abroad, including United States citizens, without trial. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, our drone strikes have killed more than 3,000 people including as many as 1,105 innocent civilians since 2002.



“We must reject the notion that protecting our national security requires revoking the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. No President can act as judge, jury and executioner, and any attempt to do so is in direct violation of our Constitution which gives our citizens a right to life and a fair trial.



“According to a memorandum prepared by the White House Office of Legal Counsel, when the United States conducts such an attack it is legal. The Congress and the American people have a right to know this legal framework. Congress has an obligation as the sole authority under the Constitution to declare war to know how the use of force abroad is being used, especially against U.S. citizens,” said Kucinich.



Congressman Kucinich today introduced a Resolution of Inquiry, a resolution used to compel information from the White House, which, if passed, would require the White House to make the Office of Legal Counsel memo available to Congress.



“Our strikes are creating a legal precedent that the world will emulate. From Iran to China, other nations are very close to developing comparable technology. If Congress doesn’t act to ensure proper oversight and legal authority for the use of this technology, the consequences could be dire for the American people,” said Kucinich.



See a copy of the legislation here (http://kucinich.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=296706-6958271). Under the parliamentary procedure of a Resolution of Inquiry, the resolution must be sent to committee and considered under expedited rules.

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=312882

[ElNono]

Not really news, tbh... the UK and Israel had them for a while... China is catching up pretty quickly too:

Growth in China’s Drone Program Called ‘Alarming’ (http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/growth-in-chinas-drone-program-called-alarming/)

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, if other countries start attacking us with drones, I'll be worried.

Well, it actually depends on whom they are targeting.

[boutons_deux]

Pentagon reportedly planning to double size of its worldwide spy network

The US military (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-military) plans to send hundreds more spies overseas as part of an ambitious plan that will more than double the size of its espionage network, it was reported Sunday.

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Pentagon's military intelligence unit, is aiming to recruit 1,600 intelligence "collectors" – up from the several hundred overseas agents it has employed in recent years, sources told The Washington Post.

Combined with the enormous growth in the CIA (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/cia) since 9/11 attacks, the recruitment drive will create an unprecedented spy network. "The stars have been aligning on this for a while," an anonymous former senior US military official involved in planning the DIA transformation told the Post.

The news is likely to heighten concerns about the accountability of the US military's clandestine programmes amid mounting concerns about the CIA-controlled drone programme.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/02/pentagon-double-spy-network-cia

There's absolutely no way to stop the MIC's planet-wide murdering and spying.