Why I'm Proud to Be Part of the #ShutDownCreech! 2015 Mobilization

#ShutDownCreech

Creech Air Force Base is the Nevada location where drone "pilots" control the killings by U.S. drone strikes thousands of miles away in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia . . . .

Many activists are paying a high price for their work to stop these killings.

Here's Kathy Kelly's message before entering federal prison for carrying a "stop the killings" message to the commander of Whiteman Air Force Base outside of Kansas City, MO:  "Let's rehabilitate CREECH!" on No Drones Illinois

Here's John Amidon, one of the many people who have protested drone killings at the Hancock Air Force Base outside of Syracuse, NY: "Please join us March 4 - 6 to Shut Down Creech!" on No Drones New York State

So: what can the rest of us do?

TAKE ACTION:

On social media: 

tweet using the hashtags

#ShutDownCreech and #nodrones

If possible, go to Nevada March 4-6 for

the Shut Down Creech! mobilization

Wherever you are, get involved

with  your local peace group 

and organize a solidarity event

Related posts

Year after year, hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago and the surrounding area gather on the lakeshore to watch aerial displays by an array of planes. Most don't suspect that they are being subjected to an intense propaganda effort by multiple branches of the U.S. military.  The Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo views this as a perfect opportunity to engage with the public and enlist them in the growing movement against U.S. war, torture, surveillance, and other crimes.  We will join activists from many other peace and justice groups who have had a growing presence at this event in recent years.

(See August 16-17: Protest U.S. Kidnapping, Torture, and Drone Assassinations at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show Protest )


With drones, people become just dots. "Bugs." People who no longer count as people . . . .

(See Drone Victims: Just Dots? Just Dirt? )

There was a lot of noise in Chicago during the NATO Summit. But one message we managed to get through -- at least to some people -- was that people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other places are being injured and killed in their names ... and that if that bothers their consciences they can get active and do something about it.

(See Making Drone Killing 100% VISIBLE in Chicago!)

Why Air Shows Are a Very Effective Place to Protest Drone Killing and Drone Surveillance

 Coming off our experience this past weekend once again protesting against drone killing, drone surveillance, and related acts of militarism at the Chicago Air and Water Show, I am more confirmed than ever in my view that air shows are a very effective place to get our message out to the public.

I should start by saying that the Chicago event is a free public event that takes place on public space along the Chicago lakefront, so it is especially suitable for public speech.  Understanding that other venues may not afford the all of the same characteristics of the Chicago event, I offer several observations:

Chicago Air and Water Show

(1) The perfect nexus

When the war planes are roaring overhead, it is very easy for people to understand why you are there talking about war and weapons of war.

This is very different than the situation we so often encounter trying to speak to people on a street corner, where people rush on by, eager to get on with their busy lives.

There's nothing like an F-22 coming in low over the reviewing stand to focus people's attention on the problem of war.

2012: Rev. Loren McGrail leads a discussion

(2) The opportunity to talk to people

People come out to air shows to spend the day, often bringing their whole family. They're curious, and they've got the time to talk.

At our protests at the Chicago Air and Water Show, we've displayed a 1/5-size replica of a Reaper drone. That's a conversation starter, if there ever was one!

And there's no shortage of people to talk to: over a million at the 2-day Chicago Air and Water Show, for instance.

To paraphrase Willy Sutton: protest at air shows . . . 'cause that's where the people are!

Guide to the protest at the 2012 Chicago Air and Water Show

(3) Every air show needs a handout

We realized that the Chicago Air and Water Show  doesn't provide a program book for attendees. So we print one and distribute it.

This year, we printed a 2-sided 17x11 sheet that folded to become a program book about the problem of drone assassinations, rendition flights, and other aspects of U.S. militarism, and distributed them to attendees.

(You can read the text of our 2014 Chicago Air and Water program book on the website of the Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo.)

2014: "Anti-war activists slam Boeing’s sale of arms to Israel"

(4) The press shows up

We've found that the press comes to these events, and covers our activities -- especially if we do good press work in advance.

In many locations, the annual air show is a recurring story for the press, and they want to know what's new this year.

More at #GazainChicago

(5) We make our own press

We rely on a broad spectrum of media to get our message out.

It's extremely valuable to integrate our message into the social media relating to the air show.

2014: "During a demonstration against Boeing, protestors held a die-in at North Ave. beach, where
spectators came to watch the Air & Water Show." | Nader Ihmoud, PalestineinAmerica.com

(6) Room to practice creative nonviolence

One of the great things about the Chicago Air and Water Show is that there is space and time for us to practice an array of creative nonviolence.

This year our presence featured a die-in as well as food distribution by Food Not Bombs.

Two years ago, we featured a group of Buddhists doing meditation.

And there's room for multiple peace and justice groups to come do their thing side-by-side.

2012: Members of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship invited onlookers
to join them in silent meditation.

(7) A chance to learn and improve

For better or worse, air shows come back to our cities year after year. They're like clockwork.

That gives us an opportunity to look closely at our experience each year, think about what worked well and what needs improvement, and come back and do an even better job the next year.


Major air shows - Fall 2014

East
Cleveland, OH
Mt. Clemens, MI
Virginia Beach, VA
Daytona Beach, FL
Memphis, TN
Jacksonville, FL
Rome, GA
Pensacola, FL
Houston, TX

West
Sacramento, CA
Salinas, CA
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Reno, NV
Pearl Harbor - Hickham, HI

More fall 2014 air shows


Related posts

Year after year, hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago and the surrounding area gather on the lakeshore to watch aerial displays by an array of planes. Most don't suspect that they are being subjected to an intense propaganda effort by multiple branches of the U.S. military.  The Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo views this as a perfect opportunity to engage with the public and enlist them in the growing movement against U.S. war, torture, surveillance, and other crimes.  We will join activists from many other peace and justice groups who have had a growing presence at this event in recent years.

(See August 16-17: Protest U.S. Kidnapping, Torture, and Drone Assassinations at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show Protest )


July 2014 - Many organizations from across the city joined the call by Anti-War Committee – Chicago, Jews for Justice in Palestine, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and 8th Day Center for Justice: Protest Boeing Death Machines in Gaza: Demand Chicago Drop Boeing from Air and Water Show!

(See No Drones Illinois Endorses Call to Drop Boeing from Chicago Air and Water Show)

A large contingent participated in creative resistance activities at the 2012 Air and Water Show.

(See Taking the NO DRONES! Message to the Masses at Chicago's Air & Water Show for full details.)








"Overall, a great success," said David Soumis. "We had a lot of people riding by in cars, buses, trucks, and golf carts. A lot of thumbs up, a few one finger salutes, a lot of questioning glares, and tons of people that could only see the hood of their car."

(See Welcome to Oshkosh! (got drones?) )








My jaw dropped when they opened the trailer and I saw the four KnowDrones model drone fuselages resting on foam cushions, with their wings neatly strapped to the front wall of the trailer. "These are some very, very serious people," I said to myself.

(See Nationwide: Getting SERIOUS About STOPPING the Drones Menace )

"Why focus on drone attacks?"

Drones: serving man. (Or . . . ?)

The months of April and May saw a large number of protests against the U.S. program of targeted killing with drones, and progress in challenging that program in Congress.

An interesting question was raised on a listserve:  "Why focus on drone attacks?" The questioner -- a dedicated peace activist with an inquiring mind -- explained that he felt a bit perplexed:

As far as I understand, these drone attacks cause damage similar to that caused by other kinds of weapons – cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles fired by planes or helicopters, gravity bombs, artillery.

I don’t think that the anti-drone campaign would be pleased if the drone attacks stopped, but the same level of U.S. attacks were carried out by other weapons – say manned flights carrying missiles. Would that be better in some way? If it would be better, I ask you to explain to me how or why it would be better.

Here's how I responded:

In my opinion, the reason to focus on drones is this: when we focus on drones, the general public is able to "get," to an unusual extent, the degree to which popular consent has been banished from the process of carrying out state violence. (Sure, it was banished long ago, but the absence of a human in the cockpit of a drone suddenly makes a light bulb go off in people's heads.) It takes some prodding, but people can sense that drone use somehow crosses a line. And that opens up the discussion about how our consent has been eliminated from the vast range of US militarism.

I'm curious to know if other people agree with me.  What is your experience? Is the movement against drones helping to build consciousness about the deeper issues of consent?  Or are we being sidetracked by paying too much attention to other aspects of drone warfare?

Please join the conversation.

Related posts

Operating drones and other robotic killing machines still requires some human operators. And despite all their hopes to the contrary, the military establishment has discovered that human operators have consciences.

(See THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING: Drone Pilots Speaking Out)



Today we live in a different world. Without the draft, the people have "checked out." It is like Rome ... the legions do the work of empire and the people are kept happy with bread and circus. (Or Starbucks and "Dancing With the Stars," if you prefer.)

(See Not Your Father's Antiwar Movement )

Year after year, hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago and the surrounding area gather on the lakeshore to watch aerial displays by an array of planes. Most don't suspect that they are being subjected to an intense propaganda effort by multiple branches of the U.S. military.  The Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo views this as a perfect opportunity to engage with the public and enlist them in the growing movement against U.S. war, torture, surveillance, and other crimes.  We will join activists from many other peace and justice groups who have had a growing presence at this event in recent years.

(See August 16-17: Protest U.S. Kidnapping, Torture, and Drone Assassinations at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show Protest )

If the public will join us in asking the question "Who decides?" about drone executions, I believe they will rapidly come to realize that they are utterly dissatisfied with what the government is saying.

(See Who Decides? (When Drones are Judge, Jury, and Executioner) )

Now comes the messy part. We need many more people to engage with with the emotions aroused by drones. This is going to involve many different groups of people, engaging with this topic in many different ways: churches and faith groups . . . young people . . . . The point is: the discourse on drones is going to get out of our hands. It isn't always going to go the way we want. But the important thing is that many, many people are going to be talking about it in the ways that feel appropriate to them.

 (See Democracy vs. Drones)

Elaine Scarry demonstrates that the power of one leader to obliterate millions of people with a nuclear weapon - a possibility that remains very real even in the wake of the Cold War - deeply violates our constitutional rights, undermines the social contract, and is fundamentally at odds with the deliberative principles of democracy.

(See Reviews of "Thermonuclear Monarchy: Choosing Between Democracy and Doom" by Elaine Scarry)

Good Friday, 2013: A Passion Play for the Drones Era

You're gonna put this guy in prison? Really??


Last year at this time, on Good Friday morning, I was not only getting ready to participate in the annual 8th Day Good Friday Justice Walk -- a venerable Chicago institution -- but also getting ready to put on a play.

Jack Gilroy

The playwright Jack Gilroy was in town to make a special appearance together with a small group of us who were staging a reading of his play, The Predator. (See The Predator in Chicago - Good Friday, 2013 - 'A Passion Play for the Drones Era'") The Predator is a play that many communities have used to stir conversation about the nature of drone warfare.

Jack is much on my mind today, in part because of the anniversary of that performance, but also because of news he recently shared with me about an upcoming court appearance. I quote here at length from a letter Jack shared -- it is addressed to participants in a Peace Studies course that he advises, and it begins with encouragement from Jack about their work at their college:

The struggle is not over yet but if won, it will open up student minds to alternatives to violence like no single course ever has at B~ University . You can’t wave a victory flag yet but get it ready. There will be snags and disappointments but don’t get discouraged and give up the struggle. Many issues will be wrapped in the new curriculum and the process will not be to solve specific issues but to find ways to treat conflict issues diplomatically, rationally, intelligently—all with compassion.

That said, I am involved in an issue now that may prevent me from working with you next school year. I go to trial on July 14th in DeWitt Court House near Syracuse for a ‘killer drone die in’ that I was part of a year ago. I was one of 31 who lied on the ground of the entrance way to the 174th Attack Wing of the NY State National Guard. The 174th Attack Wing fires drones (located in Afghanistan and only God and the NSA know where else) electronically by ‘pilots’ located at their consoles inside the Hancock Air Base in Syracuse . [NOTE: die-in pictures here]

Some of our group chose to take a plea bargain (plead guilty and pay a fine) and have charges dropped. I would not do that. I committed no crime by asserting my constitutional rights of free assembly and speech. Every United States citizen has an obligation to call their US Government to honor when the US government is committing crimes. It is illegal to assassinate. Both President Ford and Reagan both issued Executive Orders to forbid assassination. And of course, this is a test of our morality that for me is much greater than legality. I will not be a party to killing any person.

Since the Magna Carta in 1215, Western jurisprudence has given high ground to habeas corpus—a person has the right to hear charges, to a fair trial. There is no hearing for those assassinated by US drones. Thousands of people have been killed by our drones--- many of them women and children.

My trial will be one of the first jury trials for this so called ‘crime’ of speaking out against killer drones. If convicted, I was told by the Judge to expect to be sentenced to the Jamesville Penitentiary for one year.

This is reminding me of how rapidly the resistance to U.S. drone killing is growing, and the many dimensions of this resistance.  And as I reflect on Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' showdown with imperial power 2,000 years ago, it is also reminding me that there are people today who have come to the conclusion that the preservation of their own bodies may have to be foregone in the interest of saving others.

I'm pretty sure that Jack Gilroy is not a fan of spending time in prison.  I sense that he would be very happy if this cup could pass from him. But I also hear Jack saying, "If this is what it takes to stop the killing . . . thy will be done."

On this day, as you reflect on the meaning of Good Friday, take an opportunity to look around you.  There are Jack Gilroys all around us, and their number is growing.


Related posts

At trial, Jack Gilroy testified that he joined the Army out of high school, and was stationed in Austria in the early '50s at a time when the Cold War was hot. He says that despite a climate of distrust and contempt towards Russians, when he actually had to look a young Russian soldier in the eye during a ceremonial event, he didn’t see the evil he’d been trained to expect. Since then, Gilroy has spent 30 years as a teacher. A member of Veterans for Peace and Peace Action New York, he is currently working with Peace Action at Binghamton University to convince the college to offer a Peace Studies Program.

(See Hancock Show Trial #1: Anti-Drone Protester Convicted of a Misdemeanor )

Brian Terrell, prior to beginning his term in federal prison for entering a drones base near Kansas City, MO: "There seems to be in these last weeks a new openness to speaking about the issue of the drones. It is as if with the dreadful distraction of the presidential election over, people are wiping the sleep from their eyes and are shocked to see the evil that had been festering while they were not looking."

(See Brian Terrell: "I go in solidarity with prisoners every place")

Beale, in CA, is home of the Global Hawk Drone, a surveillance drone that demonstrators claim helps in the targeting of Predator and Reaper armed drones. Increasing numbers of demonstrators have been arrested at Beale over the past several months. On March 5, Ash Wednesday, arrests included several members of the clergy. Other actions are scheduled for later this month.

(See Former National President of Veterans For Peace Arrested at Beale)

Tuesday July 3: Independence from Drones

On Tuesdays, many of us are active tweeting to call for an end to the war in Afghanistan: #AfghanistanTuesday.

On Tuesday, July 3, join us to call for an end to drones killings and drones surveillance in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and everywhere else. We'll be tweeting using the #nodrones tag, and we'll be tweeting members of Congress.

Let's make it a REAL Independence Day this year -- Independence Day from DRONES!

Senator Rand Paul: Just introduced a bill that protects the privacy of Americans
from the government's unwarranted use of #drones
Joe Scarry: @SenRandPaul How about a bill to protect lives of non-Americans
from the government's unwarranted murder by drones?

Related posts

We are seeing a groundswell of opposition in this country to drones killings and drone surveillance. Grassroots resistance to drones: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

(See Independence Day - from DRONES! )

Kentucky has something very important to bring to the national movement to bring U.S. drone killings under control.  Kentucky's Rand Paul has been a lone voice in the U.S. Senate asking questions about drones and putting his foot down against the unilateral exercise of executive authority in conducting war by drone.

(See Question #1 for Kentuckians: Where Does Rand Paul Stand On Drones? on the No Drones Kentucky website)


There is an eerie similarity between events in the book Paul Revere's Ride and events in our world today. I'm thinking particularly of how a network of mass resistance springs into action.

(See New World Counterinsurgency: Deja Vu All Over Again)

What Shall We Tell Obama, Chicago?

Barack Obama will be back in Chicago on Friday to raise money for his re-election campaign.

Apparently, yesterday's article in the New York Times about how Obama makes decisions to kill people in other countries with drones has done nothing to hinder his re-election aspirations.

Barack Obama (l) and child drone victim (r)

However, many people are outraged -- and at least some of them have a new image seared in their minds: the image of Obama side by side with one of the children he has killed using drones.

What do people in Afghanistan expect people in Chicago to tell Obama?

"Is it only terrorism if it's against U.S. or its allies?
What would u call U.S. drones strikes if you lived in Pakistan?"

What do people in Pakistan expect people in Chicago to tell Obama?

"#Chicago should tell #Obama that we want #NoDrones in #Yemen.
Enough is enough. Stop killing civilians."

What do people in Yemen expect people in Chicago to tell Obama?

What do people in Somalia expect people in Chicago to tell Obama?


Related posts

There was a lot of noise in Chicago during the NATO Summit. But one message we managed to get through -- at least to some people -- was that people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other places are being injured and killed in their names ... and that if that bothers their consciences they can get active and do something about it.

(See Making Drone Killing 100% VISIBLE in Chicago!)

By now, everyone knows about the New York Times article describing Barack Obama's personal administration of drone killing around the world. What few people are willing to face up to is that Obama 2012 partisans actually see this as a way to get a lot of Americans to like Obama: "This is the candidate; you MUST support him!"

(See Being a Team Player for "Mr. Forceful": Obama and the Dems )


A major focus of the demonstration was an undeclared U.S. war: the killing of hundreds of Pakistanis in secret attacks, principally using drones. Yesterday, people from throughout Chicago -- and especially from the Pakistani-American community -- stood up to say the drone attacks must end, and we must hold those who are responsible accountable.

(See Making the Chicago-Pakistan Connection )

Making Drone Killing 100% VISIBLE in Chicago!

More at: Can we stop the DRONES?

On Thursday, May 17, we made the drone killing 100% VISIBLE in Chicago.

People from World Can't Wait, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, and other groups went out onto the streets and showed the faces of the victims to anyone willing to look.

May 17, 2012 - Michigan Avenue in Chicago: Medea Benjamin from
CODEPINK (center) and  her pink cardboard cutout "NO NATO"
machine gun. Joe Scarry (l) carries an oversize poster of a child
victim of a U.S. drone strike. (Photo courtesy FJJ)

There was a lot of noise in Chicago last week. But one message we managed to get through -- at least to some people -- was that people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other places are being injured and killed in their names ... and that if that bothers their consciences they can get active and do something about it.

As one report stated:

Some in the lunchtime crowd were listening. “Let’s just say, this morning I wasn’t thinking about drones, and children dying. So it definitely opened my eyes,” one young woman said as she sat in a plaza along Michigan Avenue.

"STOP THE WARS"
(Photo courtesy FJJ)

I'm grateful to Kevin Gosztola for these videos of the reading of drone victims names and display of victim images at the protest:

Outside the Canadian Consulate, NATO Protesters Show Images of Drone Victims
Names of Drone Victims Read by NATO Protesters

And on Monday, May 21, we commemorated all the victims of NATO violence.

What will YOU do to make the victims 100% VISIBLE where YOU live?

"STOP THE WARS -- STOP THE DRONES"
Speak-out at the entrance to the Tribune Building, Michigan Avenue, Chicago.
(Photo courtesy FJJ)

More at: Can we stop the DRONES?



Related posts

At the end of the first day of the 2012 CODEPINK drone conference, I came to a realization: the fundamental problem that we had all gathered to address is that drones render killing 100% invisible. And as long as the killing is invisible, we lose the most powerful tool we have for fighting the killing: the disgust and outrage of the general public.

(See Make Drone Killing 100% VISIBLE!)

 

July 2014 - Many organizations from across the city joined the call by Anti-War Committee – Chicago, Jews for Justice in Palestine, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and 8th Day Center for Justice: Protest Boeing Death Machines in Gaza: Demand Chicago Drop Boeing from Air and Water Show!

(See No Drones Illinois Endorses Call to Drop Boeing from Chicago Air and Water Show)

Year after year, hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago and the surrounding area gather on the lakeshore to watch aerial displays by an array of planes. Most don't suspect that they are being subjected to an intense propaganda effort by multiple branches of the U.S. military.  The Chicago Coalition to Shut Down Guantanamo views this as a perfect opportunity to engage with the public and enlist them in the growing movement against U.S. war, torture, surveillance, and other crimes.  We will join activists from many other peace and justice groups who have had a growing presence at this event in recent years.

(See August 16-17: Protest U.S. Kidnapping, Torture, and Drone Assassinations at the 2014 Chicago Air and Water Show Protest )

Making the Chicago-Pakistan Connection

Yesterday - Sunday, March 18, 2012 - people took to the streets of the Devon neighborhood in Chicago to protest continuing U.S. wars in the Mideast and South Asia.

The occasion was the 9th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and people protested the continued U.S. presence there, even after the so-called U.S. "withdrawal" from Iraq in late 2011. There were also sizable contingents protesting U.S. threats against Iran, the continuing U.S. occupation and militarization of Afghanistan, the expanding U.S. practice of indefinite detention in places like Guantanamo, the persecution of Bradley Manning, and other U.S. abuses.

"DOWN WITH DRONES"
March organizer Andy Thayer (r) holds webcam to broadcast images of
participants in Chicago antiwar march to observers in Pakistan via Skype.
(Photo courtesy FJJ)

A major focus of the demonstration, however, was an undeclared U.S. war: the killing of hundreds of Pakistanis in secret attacks, principally using drones. Yesterday, people from throughout Chicago -- and especially from the Pakistani-American community -- stood up to say the drone attacks must end, and we must hold those who are responsible accountable.

It was less than two weeks ago that Chicago saw U.S. attorney general Eric Holder shock the world with his bizarre assertion that the U.S. government can -- using drones and other means -- pretty much kill whoever it wants.

"Violence toward civilians = TERRORISM.
Support the people - NOT the Pentagon!"
(Photo courtesy FJJ)

Numerous speakers at yesterday's demonstration denounced the U.S. drone attacks, and stressed the numerous ways those attacks defy morality and international law. Many people in the crowd carried anti-drone signs.

Perhaps the most important moment in yesterday's demonstration came when a Skype connection was established to peace activists in Pakistan, so that they could see the crowd of people assembled in Chicago. It is vital that we, the people, be able to communicate directly with people in other countries, and say, "We do NOT support the violent acts of the U.S. government. We are doing everything we can to resist these crimes, and we stand WITH YOU!"

I've written before about how important it is to "stand up and be counted." Yesterday, people on Devon sent a message with their presence that could be seen clear around the world.

See also . . . 

Manal Shakir: Video of the March 18, 2012, Chicago antiwar march on Devon Avenue.

Salon.com: Our immoral drone war: Media coverage of unmanned attacks -- and the resulting civilian deaths -- miss mounting anger within Pakistan

Related posts

There can be no question but that Americans and the rest of the world will eventually wake up to the terror being inflicted in their name on Pakistanis and others. The only question that will then remain will be whether Obama, Panetta, and the whole drone "kill chain" will be prosecuted as war criminals or as ordinary criminals. (And God help them if they are condemned to the limbo of "unlawful enemy combatant" - entitled to neither civil nor military justice.)   

 

(See #NATOvictims - Drone Strikes in Pakistan )

 

A September 5, 2013, U.S. drone strike in Pakistan killed six people - including Sangeen Zadran -- a "senior militant commander" who was "implicated in a long-running kidnapping drama involving an American soldier."

(See September 5 in Pakistan: Another Day, Another Drone Killing) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is not new in kind -- the U.S. dictates course of action (and inaction) to Pakistan all the time -- but in magnitude is probably the biggest thing since the Bush administration went to Musharraf shortly after 9/11 and said, "You're either with us or you're against us."

(See The $1.5 Billion Bribe: Obama Buying Cover From UN Report? ) 

Eric Through the Looking Glass

We were stuck outside while Eric Holder addressed a group of Northwestern Law students and others this afternoon. We could catch glimpses, through the dark glass of the building lobby, of the crowd filing in to the Thorne Auditorium to hear the speech.

Afterward one audience member summed up the speech as he left:

"He pretty much said he can kill anyone he wants."

Any questions?

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder

Yes, yes, of course you want to hear the specifics. I must warn you, however, that you are insisting on hearing something that will turn you more topsy-turvy than anything Alice experienced when she ventured through the looking glass.

Here then are some excerpts, together with my commentary, from the posted version of Holder's speech.

Holder launches genteelly into the subject of assassinating people (including through the use of drones):

"An individual’s interest in making sure that the government does not target him erroneously could not be more significant."

He then proceeds to say exactly NOTHING about how an individual might protect that interest of his/hers. For instance, can the individual expect the courts to protect that interest?

"Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who is a senior operational leader of al Qaeda or associated forces. This is simply not accurate. “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."

Okay, silly question. So perhaps Congress is where the individual will find his/her interest protected?

"That is not to say that the Executive Branch has – or should ever have – the ability to target any such individuals without robust oversight. Which is why, in keeping with the law and our constitutional system of checks and balances, the Executive Branch regularly informs the appropriate members of Congress about our counterterrorism activities, including the legal framework, and would of course follow the same practice where lethal force is used against United States citizens."

Why do I get the feeling that the august oversight being described would be of the kind that happens months -- if not years -- after the individual in question has been incinerated in a drone strike?

Well, at least the individual can expect the protection of an ironclad standard of proof on the part of the Executive Branch, right? Holder identifies six criteria for assassinating -- sorry, killing -- an American citizen:

"[A]n operation using lethal force in a foreign country, targeted against a U.S. citizen who is a senior operational leader of al Qaeda or associated forces, and who is actively engaged in planning to kill Americans, would be lawful at least in the following circumstances: First, the U.S. government has determined, after a thorough and careful review, that the individual poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States; second, capture is not feasible; and third, the operation would be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable law of war principles."

Now that's all very nice, except that the only criterion named by Holder that can be determined with any degree of objectivity is the first one, i.e. whether or not the U.S. citizen in question is in the U.S. or in a foreign country. What is the objective basis for determining if someone is an operational leader of al Qaeada? In fact, what criteria are there of any kind, beyond the testimony of people being held in some form of indefinite detention and without legal protections by the United States government or its proxies? What is the objective basis for demonstrating that someone poses an imminent threat? What evidence of this type has ever been produced? What is the objective basis for determining that "capture is not feasible"? (I wonder how domestic police operations would look if police commanders were permitted to make findings that "capture is not feasible"!) And, just to be clear, are we talking about making the U.S. government subject to the laws of war? i.e. international law, such as the Geneva Conventions? Or are we only talking about the "principles" associated with the law of war (?) ... and then only those Eric Holder deems "applicable"?

"An individual’s interest in making sure that the government does not target him erroneously could not be more significant." Really? Really, Eric Holder? On the contrary, it sounds to me as if your concern for the miscarriage of justice via the extrajudicial executions you carry out can be boiled down to four words:


OFF WITH HER HEAD!

But don't just take my word for it: read the whole speech -- if, that is, you're not afraid to see how deep the rabbit hole goes . . . !


Related posts

If the public will join us in asking the question "Who decides?" about drone executions, I believe they will rapidly come to realize that they are utterly dissatisfied with what the government is saying.

(See Who Decides? (When Drones are Judge, Jury, and Executioner) )











The story of the past decade-plus has been the story of the assertion by some that the conception of law that our society has is not sufficient.  Simply put, there are those who say that there is a third, "in-between" category of behavior -- and legal status -- that is not civilian (subject to criminal law) and not military (subject to military law and the laws of war). And since there are no rules about how to deal with that third category . . . .

(See Using the Good, Old Criminal Justice System: Worth a Try?)




The crime of Extrajudicial Execution is described on the website for Mike Haas' book, George W. Bush, War Criminal? The Bush Administration’s Liability for 269 War Crimes. Here, we will look at the specific legal basis for charging perpetrators as war criminals for Extrajudicial Executions, and list sources reporting relevant U.S. actions in Afghanistan.

(See VAU Afgh 101: Extrajudicial Executions )


Here, we will look at the specific legal basis for charging perpetrators as war criminals for Failure of Commanding Officers to Ensure That Subordinates Understand Geneva Convention Obligations Regarding the Conduct of Warfare, and list sources reporting relevant U.S. actions in Afghanistan.

(See VAU Afgh 101: Geneva Convention Obligations )

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Holder photo: NPR
Illustration of the Red Queen: Curiouser and Curiouser: The Evolution of Alice

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