As the use of unmanned aerial drones for military purposes has intensified, the Obama administration has been working — in secret — to codify a set of rules which govern its covert campaigns in the Middle East and Asia. Now a confidential Justice Department white paper has revealed a rough legal framework for one of the drone program's most controversial aspects: the targeted killing of American citizens without due process. According to the 16 page document obtained by NBC News, a target in these cases must be believed to be a "senior operational leader of al-Qa'ida" or an "associated force" who "poses an imminent threat" to the United States. The capture of that target must also be determined to be "infeasible," and the killing... Continue reading…
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