The New York Times reported recently on a secret White House "kill
list" that President Obama himself oversees and approves as part of a weekly
counterterrorism meeting. The kill list even includes some American citizens.
The front page story made headlines around the world. Some say it shows Obama's
desire to take personal responsibility for U.S. actions in the fight against
al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
Times reporters Jo Becker and Scott Shane called the depth of Obama's
participation in the approval of deadly drone strikes "without precedent
in presidential history."
The New Yorker's Amy Davidson concluded that Obama "has given the
presidency a novel power."
But for others, news of a president making regular decisions about whom to
kill called to mind President Lyndon Johnson's personal selection of bombing
targets in North Vietnam. This practice disturbed the American public and earned
LBJ a reputation as a desperate micromanager.
Perhaps the report's most significant revelation was of the administration's
embrace of a broadened definition of the term "civilian."
Top officials say they have offered private warnings about an administration
formula that they say low-balls the number of reported civilian casualties.
Officials told Becker and Shane that the White House "counts all military-age
males in a strike zone as combatants . . . unless there is explicit intelligence
posthumously proving them innocent."
This expansive definition of combatants lowers the number considered civilians.
Some worry that Obama is reverting to the "shoot first, ask questions later"
approach that many felt characterized the counterterrorism strategy of the Bush
administration.
What do you think? Is the United States doing enough to protect innocent civilians
from becoming collateral damage in drone strikes targeting terrorists? Should
the president be this involved in selecting targets? Is it ethical to maintain
a "kill list" of suspected terrorists?
For more information see
Jo Becker and Scott Shane, "Secret
'Kill List' Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will," The
New York Times, May 29, 2012
Chris Woods, "Report:
Obama embraces disputed definition of 'civilian' in drone wars," World
News on msnbc.com, May 30, 2012
Amy Davidson, "The
President's Kill List," The New Yorker, May 30, 2012
Photo Credits in order of Appearance:
Samantha
Appleton/White House
Andre
N. McIntyre/U.S. Navy
Pete
Souza/White House [also for pictures 8
& 13]
Haxorjoe
Brian
Ferguson/U.S. Air Force
Arnold
Newman
US
Army
Susan
Novak
Thomas
Sjørup
Eric
Draper
Mathieu
Gilbert
