OFF THE WIRE
The U.S. government is legally justified in killing its own citizens overseas if they are involved in plotting terror attacks against America, Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday, offering the Obama administration's most detailed explanation so far of its controversial targeted killing program.
"In this hour of danger, we simply cannot afford to wait until deadly plans are carried out, and we will not," he said in remarks prepared for a speech at Northwestern University's law school in Chicago.
An American-born Islamic cleric, Anwar al Awlaki, was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Yemen in late September. Some civil liberties groups condemned the attack. Others, including members of Congress, called for a more complete explanation of how such a targeted killing of an American civilian was consistent with the U.S. Constitution.
The Fifth Amendment provides that no one can be "deprived of life" without due process of law. But that due process, Holder said, doesn't necessarily come from a court.
"Due process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it comes to national security. The Constitution guarantees due process, not judicial process," the attorney general said.
Holder said a U.S. citizen can legally be targeted in a foreign country if that person is "a senior leader of al-Qaida or associated forces," and is actively involved in planning to kill Americans. Killing would be justified if the person poses an imminent threat of a violent attack against the U.S. and cannot easily be captured.
We have a Constitution in this nation. Its there for a purpose!!! To protect us from our government. You just can't shut down the constitution at a whim! And who is to judge who is a Terrorist and who is not?
And what happens when its proven that the person the Government has murdered was not a terrorist and the group they were in was a prayer circle of Christians praying for help from God, and not a Terrorist organization cell?
Eric Holder has already proven he is a Traitor over Fast and Furious, (By the way The MSM has a massive Media Blackout on the trial, the investigations and anything else associated with Fast and Furious) Now Eric Holder is a traitor for taking away from us our right to due process!!!
Those of you who support this, I have just one thing to say to you... Don't come crying to me if one of your friends are accidently murdered by the US Government because they thought your friend was a Terrorist.
We have a Constitution for a purpose: To defend ourselves from the Government.
"A people who gives up a little Freedom, for Protection from Terrorist, deserves neither freedom or security." Franklin.
Its very sad when Citizens of this nation celebrate giving up their Constitutional Rights for a microbe of Security!!!
And thats my Opinion.