CIA may target Syrian extremists with drones

France 24 ^ | 3/16/2013

[bruinbirdman]

The US Central Intelligence Agency is collecting information on Islamic radicals in Syria for possible lethal drone strikes against them at a later stage, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Citing unnamed current and former US officials, the newspaper said President Barack Obama had not authorized any drone missile strikes in Syria yet, and none were under consideration.

However CIA's Counterterrorism Center, which runs drone programs targeting militants in Pakistan and Yemen, had recently shifted several targeting officers to improve intelligence gathering on militants in Syria.

The targeting officers have formed a unit with colleagues who were tracking Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq.

Veteran militants from Iraq are believed to have moved to Syria and joined anti-government Islamic militias there, the report said.

The targeting officers focusing on Syria are based at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the paper said.

But the agency is working closely with Saudi, Jordanian and other regional spy services active in Syria, according to The Times.

The preparations come as radical Islamic fighters have won a growing share of rebel victories in Syria, the paper said.

[montanajoe]

They are not going to read them their rights under some UN Charter, International Court, or the US Constitution?

I'm ..shocked

But I have no doubt many here will offer their support to those poor victims of US Aggression..

[Rome2000]

Be cool if they targeted the CPUSA as well.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Syrian Terrorists shot down a SAA military helicopter

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Do not mistake what I'm about to say for support for these Islamists.

Drone attacks on foreign soil are an act of war. There can be no doubt about that. You won't see Syria declaring war on the U.S. in return -- but, that's only because they don't all have a death wish. However, you can count on the fact that millions of Syrians will see the drone attacks as an act of war. They will silently seethe in anger at the U.S. for many years. If they ever get a chance to retaliate, they will retaliate.

If you doubt that drone attacks are an act of war; try this simple mind experiment: imagine that some foreign government (or terrorist organization) develops the capacity to launch drone attacks on the U.S. -- perhaps targeted attacks against U.S. officials that they see as as enemy commanders. Would you consider those drone attacks to be acts of war?

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

I’m going to assume that you’re not serious.

Otherwise, you should have a talk with Rand Paul. STAT!

[Berlin_Freeper]

I consider Islam to be an act of war.

[Rome2000]

The CPUSA and its supporters meet the definition of domestic enemies.

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

[cunning_fish]

‘CIA may target Syrian extremists with drones’ but for whatever reason targets any other group in Syria with Islamic terrorists.

[chris37]

The only thing I see in this world anymore is extremists.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Where’s the part about due process?

Have Senator Paul explain the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments to you.

Have him explain to you how even the President is constrained by the Constitution.

[right way right]

I'm uncomfortable with the extremist label.

Obama considers me an extremist.

[Navy Patriot]

Optics.

The US is switching sides?

Just to show how grateful the US is for radical terrorist rebels going after Assad's legal Syrian government, the US will pop 'em as soon as they drive Assad out, or kill him? LOL

What the US has accomplished is ensuring the entire world knows it is completely untrustworthy by anyone, even by it's own Ambassadors and military personnel.

The game now is: who is better at planning and executing the double cross.

[MCF]

Obama is working on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood in having the CIA take out anybody they see as competition to taking over the Syrian Government after Assad leaves or is killed.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

I didn’t realize we had declared war again.

[Venturer]

Does anyone believe this idea just came up in the minds of CIA gaents without any guidance from the White House?

I don’t.

This is an Obama operation.

[rrrod]

Obama will do anything to help Assad/Iran...

[Donkey Odious]

‘CIA may target Syrian extremists with drones’.....

Who are these extremists and how did they get these drones?

[Leaning Right]

If you doubt that drone attacks are an act of war; try this simple mind experiment...

I agree with you. Here's another, and perhaps better, analogy: Suppose Putin has identified some criminals residing in the US as serious threats to Russian security.

And let's even suppose Putin was right.

How would the average American feel if Putin sent drones to kill those criminals? How would the average American feel if, while sitting in traffic, a car ahead of him was hit by a Russian drone?

And what about the innocent Americans that would get hurt because just they happened to be a bit tooo close? Would the average American be very understanding of Putin's actions?

This is not to argue against drone strikes, necessarily. But the US had better carefully think this thing through.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks bruinbirdman.

The US Central Intelligence Agency is collecting information on Islamic radicals in Syria for possible lethal drone strikes against them at a later stage... the newspaper said [Zero] had not authorized any drone missile strikes in Syria yet, and none were under consideration.

This story is probably one of those rare pieces of anti-Obama agitprop, sourced in either the hard left in the US or from one of the various foreign enemy regimes. However, it would figure that drones will be used to support the FSA which is being trained in Jordan (mainly because our "allies" in Turkey won't permit it to be done there).