Kucinich to push for Congressional briefing on drone programme
Kucinich questions White House's legal cover for use of drones saying they are not at war with Pakistan.
WASHINGTON:
US Congressman Dennis Kucinich says he plans to hold a Congressional briefing on the controversial drone programme on November 16, aiming to bring the CIA operated aircrafts under Congressional oversight.
In a press release, the US Congressman, who is serving his last term in Congress, said that the drone programme has been conducted with no oversight from Congress or any judicial body, and there has been no due process.
"Congress has even been denied the right to be informed of and view the legal memos which the Administration uses as its basis to justify these killings. Despite increasing calls for transparency and the legal justification from both members of Congress and a broad range of advocacy organisations, targeted killing is ‘so routine that the Obama Administration has spent much of the past year codifying and streamlining the processes that sustain much of it."
The drone programme in Pakistan is considered covert, and is carried out by the CIA. Pakistan has stated that it does not approve the strikes, and considers them a violation of their sovereignty.
Congressman Kucinich said that the battlefield has been expanded to nearly anywhere in the world, which has made it easier to justify flouting international law and the laws of war.
"But the United States is not at war with Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. Such killings are only lawful under a very narrow set of circumstances. We cannot claim to be meeting those narrow circumstances when the number of people killed by such strikes, including innocent civilians, is estimated to exceed 3,000. This number alone demonstrates that the Administration’s claims that such strikes occur only under ‘imminent threat’ is patently false," said the press release.
The Congressman also expressed his reservations on the use of surveillance drones in the US, citing concerns for the privacy of citizens.
“Congress cannot stand idly by as these actions are being taken in the name of the American people. That is why I am hosting a briefing on Friday, November 16, 2012 to discuss the implications of our drones policy here at home, and abroad," said the US Congressman.
US Congressman Dennis Kucinich says he plans to hold a Congressional briefing on the controversial drone programme on November 16, aiming to bring the CIA operated aircrafts under Congressional oversight.
In a press release, the US Congressman, who is serving his last term in Congress, said that the drone programme has been conducted with no oversight from Congress or any judicial body, and there has been no due process.
"Congress has even been denied the right to be informed of and view the legal memos which the Administration uses as its basis to justify these killings. Despite increasing calls for transparency and the legal justification from both members of Congress and a broad range of advocacy organisations, targeted killing is ‘so routine that the Obama Administration has spent much of the past year codifying and streamlining the processes that sustain much of it."
The drone programme in Pakistan is considered covert, and is carried out by the CIA. Pakistan has stated that it does not approve the strikes, and considers them a violation of their sovereignty.
Congressman Kucinich said that the battlefield has been expanded to nearly anywhere in the world, which has made it easier to justify flouting international law and the laws of war.
"But the United States is not at war with Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. Such killings are only lawful under a very narrow set of circumstances. We cannot claim to be meeting those narrow circumstances when the number of people killed by such strikes, including innocent civilians, is estimated to exceed 3,000. This number alone demonstrates that the Administration’s claims that such strikes occur only under ‘imminent threat’ is patently false," said the press release.
The Congressman also expressed his reservations on the use of surveillance drones in the US, citing concerns for the privacy of citizens.
“Congress cannot stand idly by as these actions are being taken in the name of the American people. That is why I am hosting a briefing on Friday, November 16, 2012 to discuss the implications of our drones policy here at home, and abroad," said the US Congressman.