UPDATE POST STATE - Inadequate Rationale for Killing

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/020413_DOJ_White_Paper.pdf

Barry, My Liege :

Your faithful servant observed your short discussion of drone killings in the State of the Union speech last night. Thank you, My Liege, for personally owning the killing process.

Now, we pray you place some legal process into the system so that you and future POTUS may not murder American Citizens on a whim or an anonymous, unverified tip.

By your hoped for, future action of placing some legal protections into that process, you will assure us that the United States of America is not the same as dictatorships, terrorist states or barbaric monarchies.

Continuing the original post -

As your servant I have read a newly disclosed 'White Paper' which purports to 'justify' the killing of American Citizens in certain circumstances.

Although the White Paper is titled 'Department of Justice White Paper', it is not signed, dated, issued on DOJ stationery or bear any markings whatever which support its claim to be from a government source.

Additionally, since it has no apparent claims of authorship, is seems safe to conclude that it is an organized sales job. That is to say, someone in authority 'may' have leaked the paper in hopes that the paper itself provides sufficient justification of the killing of American citizens. Perhaps that person was you, My Liege.

The paper is a sad excuse, Mr. President. We grieve for the Country we love.

We grieve because this paper does not provide a sufficient rationale for the overthrow of the United States Constitution and the murder of citizens by the government we elect to protect us.

One of the several major problems is simply this: it has not been adjudicated.

Your administration is required to take this paper to the United States Supreme Court in order to see whether or not its several assertions of conformity to the Constitution are correct or are merely self-serving rationales.

Further, My Liege, there is no procedure or review established in this document or in your administration's processes for an independent review of whether or not a person is in fact a Senior Operational Leader of Al-Qua’ida. Without an independent review body with the power to review facts and evidence and apply relevant law, the killing of any person is simply wrong, immoral and barbaric.

My Liege, this paper is simply a smokescreen around the fact that you have chosen to murder many people without any process or review of law, justice or morality; your only excuse is that they may [or may not] be plotting to kill Americans.

I am embarrassed and saddened by this display, My Liege. I would rather that you stand up and say that you will kill these people because you think they are a danger.

Then, let the courts and the people decide if you are right or wrong.

Your pose of hiding behind a tortured legal edifice presented without review or court approval in order to murder people including Americans violates the Constitution, demeans the Office of President of the United States and demonstrates contempt for its citizens.

We pray you be brave, My Liege, for we and our Country deserve better from you.

Your faithful servant,