FCNL calls on Congress to exercise its vital oversight role and is urging a Congressional hearing and inquiry into the U.S. lethal drones program. This is essential in order to inform the American people about the deliberate killing of Americans and non-nationals outside of declared war zones.
On Thursday, October 15, 2015, The Intercept released very troubling details of the Administration’s targeted killing program through leaks by an anonymous whistleblower.
“The Drone Papers,” reveal startling details of the high percentage of civilian casualties, faulty intelligence, and the central role that the targeted killing program has in U.S. counterterrorism policy.
“The Administration expects the American people to simply trust what our government is doing with respect to this targeted killing program without providing any sort of evidence and basis for these lethal strikes,” said Yasmine Taeb, FCNL’s lobbyist on civil liberties and human rights.
“Our drone policy has profound implications with respect to our standing abroad and continues to serve as an effective recruitment tool for extremists. Further disclosures about the Administration’s targeted killing program have revealed the faulty intelligence the Administration continues to rely upon, lack of sound decision-making processes and evidentiary standards for determining who may be targeted, as well as an apparent disregard for civilian casualties.
“It is simply unacceptable for the Administration to continue operating under a cloak of secrecy with respect to drone warfare especially when these recent disclosures show that during a period of operation, nearly 90 percent of the people killed in airstrikes were not the intended targets. The Executive Branch owes Congress and the American people a full explanation of the limits, boundaries, and parameters of the President’s power to authorize deliberate killings. The President should assure that this program is structured to prevent civilian casualties.”
