US can kill its own citizens without review when state secrets are involved, DOJ lawyer argues

ABA Journal ^ | 18 Nov 2020 | Debra Cassens Weiss

[Svartalfiar]

It is illegal for the US government to target an American citizen anywhere in the world, period. If he had taken up arms against the US, he would no longer be a US citizen. But he did not.

See my post above. Outside of US territory, he is NOT considered a USPERS unless there is specific intelligence that says he is. He may not have taken up arms against these US, but he was in communication with sufficient terrorists to be generically identified as a target of higher priority than Taliban Joe.

[mabarker1]

Then they can kill themselves. After finishing My list.

[Vitesse]

Sounds fun.

You came up with that all by yourself? Weird.

[ZULU]

Bastard deserved it

[Lazamataz]

It is shocking how quickly, even under Trump, we are acting like the Soviet Union.

[OldGoatCPO]

Are you a lawyer or did just stay at the Holiday Inn?

[Svartalfiar]

I’ve been through the military IO class. While it doesn’t get into target authorization, we did get a bunch of regs on intel and imagery handling. Any intelligence collection on a known USPERS is a big nono unless you get SecDef approval. We’re not even supposed to use drones to help the local Sheriff’s office go hunt down the dumb kids that got lost in the woods.

[OldGoatCPO]

It is not cut and dry and constitutionally there have been cases argued by the Obama Administration that it was legal if a citizen is designated a terrorist abroad. However it is still situational and there are due process considerations in each case. AUMF against US Citizens is not clear cut and there have been.

[Svartalfiar]

It is not cut and dry and constitutionally there have been cases argued by the Obama Administration that it was legal if a citizen is designated a terrorist abroad. However it is still situational and there are due process considerations in each case. AUMF against US Citizens is not clear cut and there have been.

True, I'm not arguing any of that part, I haven't had much experience with force authorization above Troop level. I was only talking about the intel collection side, his accusations for why he thinks he was targeted.

[OldGoatCPO]

To be perfectly honest, I think he is full of BS. However, it is wrong when a federal agency tells a court to piss off. They are placing themselves above the law.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

Marking