Targeted Killings (assassinations)

US public supports targeted killing

Obama's use of drones to deal with the new generation of terrorists spawned by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan creates an ongoing cycle of never ending war. His questionable actions, using highly classified unmanned drone strikes in "targeted killings" by the CIA against young leaders opposed to the US Wars, identified by a 'disposition matrix', is becoming an cheap and easy institutional solution to a complex problem. Blowback is inevitable as innocent civilians are always 'collateral damage' in such covert wars.

Naureen Shah, Columbia University

As a new form of warfare, Naureen Shah: Associate Director of Columbia Law School's Counter-terrorism and Human Rights Project, says that these secret CIA attacks constitute a dangerous legacy that, without any limits, will be passed on to the next President, who may use this tool more liberally than Obama.

This can not be the extent of our counter-terrorism policy. We must have a spectrum of tools, including components of education, financial aid, medical services, trade, media, and even ground force if necessary. If the 'flexibility' of a shadow war with criminals is a necessity in a global society, then we need to debate the technology of targeted killings, to make their use transparent and accountable, both to our own public, as well as the community of international law. Conspiring to preform covert assassinations in the dark night of an indefinite war is the antithesis of American norms of liberty and justice. If this deadly tool falls into the hands of a Republican President in a couple of weeks, we may all regret our timid inaction.

Child Terrorist killed by Obama Drone Strike

Many people are targeted via the disposition matrix by a "Pattern of Action", these attacks kill groups of people, convoys, parties, households of people who we associate with those individuals we would target. This is inconsistent with our national values. There are no ground rules. Without eyes on the ground, the risk of 'collateral damage' killing unforeseen innocent civilians is too great to justify  The CIA should never have authorization to use force, all drones should be under the control of the US Military, subject to all the legal, civilian, and moral oversite of military regulation.

Hezbollah is already using Iranian drones, the US is selling this technology around the world. It is inevitable that other countries will develop drone technology and be used against US targets, both globally and domestically. We have set the president for such killings, and weather we call it terrorism or murder, it will be blowback from our own unethical actions.  - learn more at To The Point

Rules for Radicals, Saul D. Alinsky, published in 1971

The rules

• RULE 1: “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood.
• RULE 2: “Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone.
• RULE 3: “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty.
• RULE 4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules.
• RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.
• RULE 6: “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.
• RULE 7: “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.” Don’t become old news.
• RULE 8: “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.” Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new.
• RULE 9: “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.
• RULE 10: “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.
• RULE 11: “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.
• RULE 12: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.