UN investigator warns US on use of drones (targeted executions may violate international law)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 10/27/09 | Edith M. Lederer - ap

[NormsRevenge]

UNITED NATIONS – A U.N. human rights investigator warned the United States Tuesday that its use of unmanned warplanes to carry out targeted executions may violate international law.

Philip Alston said that unless the Obama administration explains the legal basis for targeting particular individuals and the measures it is taking to comply with international humanitarian law which prohibits arbitrary executions, "it will increasingly be perceived as carrying out indiscriminate killings in violation of international law."

Alston, the U.N. Human Rights Council's investigator on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, raised the issue of U.S. Predator drones in a report to the General Assembly's human rights committee and at a news conference afterwards, saying he has become increasingly concerned at the dramatic increase in their use, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan, since June.

He said the U.S. response — that the Geneva-based council and the General Assembly have no role in relation to killings during an armed conflict — "is simply untenable."

[grey_whiskers]

For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of the U.N. /sarc>

Cheers!

[unkus]

I’m afraid you’re right. 0bozo will probably stop this.

[publana]

Terrorists attacked the UN building in Kabul. 3 dead and have hostages. Do they STILL want us to do away with the drones?

[NightOfTheLivingDems]

Philip Alston said that unless the Obama administration explains the legal basis for targeting particular individuals and the measures it is taking to comply with international humanitarian law which prohibits arbitrary executions, "it will increasingly be perceived as carrying out indiscriminate killings in violation of international law."

Uh-oh. Catfight coming. Chicago vs Geneva; wuss vs wimps. Rival gangs. Battling pre-op tranny mud-wrestling international lawyers. A criminal underworld called Acorn vs the criminal overlords at the UN. I can't wait to see how BHO handles this one, after a few years of his thinking about it.

[donmeaker]

It is called war. If Islamicists want civil rights, they have to stop making war.

[donmeaker]

Neco es omnes, Dios se agnoscet.

[rlmorel]

[rlmorel]

Tsk. There you go, bringing logic into it again. Silly man.

[rightwingjew]

Those flying things are way too cool! American ingenuity at it’s finest!

[rlmorel]

Well I guess this means we can’t use any fly-by-wire aircraft. There must be a mechanical linkage with the control surfaces.

I can see the “rules” now.

[rlmorel]

Nice. I’m stealing that one...:)

[maine-iac7]

targeted executions

Fine - don't 'target' - just let 'em rip

[LaybackLenny]

I’ll see your international law and raise you one Predator...oops, sorry, you should put some ice on that.

[Blogger]

SANCTIONS. NASTY PAPERCUTS. NOBEL PRIZE RECOMMENDATIONS.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Happy,,,BOMBS AWAY...;0)

[sageb1]

Dear U.N.

Shove it.

Hiding behind one’s wives and children after blowing someone up must violate some international law too.

[unkus]

I put nothing past 0bama’s masters.

[ApplegateRanch]

How, exactly, is a remote pilot firing a Hellfire from a drone, any different than a sniper pulling his trigger on the same targeted individual?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

They should of awarded the peace prize to the Predator UAV.

[ApplegateRanch]

Thanks for the picture.

Didn't he serve in Hitler's General Staff?

Was he born with a permanently sneering lip, or does he work at in in fornt of mirrors?

Is he a comrade member of the National Lawyers Guild?