Q22. You describe and extol the precautions the administration takes to ensure that its drone strikes are efficacious, ethical and that they demonstrate that the administration is a "standard bearer," on the insistence you say of President Obama, in the conduct of war, including the use of drone strikes. You state that "if we want other nations to use these technologies responsibly, we must use them responsibly." As you know the
Q23. Hundreds of innocent, noncombatant men, women and children have reportedly been killed and wounded by
Q24. You state that the administration is "harnessing every element of American power--- [including] the power of our values." My doctoral dissertation 50 years ago was on the subject of human values and I have followed the subject ever since. I know of no universal human values that empower any regime to slaughter innocents. Who precisely besides the administration hold values empowering the use of drone strikes and what specifically are those values?
Q25. You acknowledge that "for many people in our government and across the country the issue of targeted strikes [has] raised profound moral questions. It forces us to confront deeply held personal beliefs and our values as a nation." Again, what valid evidence do you have about our nation's prevailing values concerning drone strikes?
Q26. Near the end of your speech you say "Yes, war is hell. It is awful. It involves human beings killing other human beings, sometimes innocent civilians. That is why we despise war. That is why we want this war against al-Qaida to be over as soon as possible, and not a moment longer." That is a very open-ended "deadline." Do you honestly believe that drone strikes will eventually lead to peace in countries where al-Qaida and its offshoots and allies operate as long as the
On your claim that
Q27. Do you agree that the bar set against illegal behavior is significantly more lenient than is the bar set by ethical standards and that legal behavior therefore can at times be harmful, even deadly?
Q28. You cite, one after another, purportedly authoritative legal sources that you say substantiate your claim. You do not cite sources refuting your claim or questioning it. Why, for instance, did you not mention that U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich has written that "Drones [are] a direct hit upon rule of law" or the statement by Phillip Ashton, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings suggesting that in certain circumstances (e.g., when the CIA is conducting the strikes) U.S. drone strikes may violate international law?
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