Court orders U.S. to release memo on drones, al-Awlaki killing

[morningfog]

A federal appeals court ordered the U.S. Department of Justice to turn over key portions of a memorandum justifying the government's targeted killing of people linked to terrorism, including Americans.

In a case pitting executive power against the public's right to know what its government does, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling preserving the secrecy of the legal rationale for the killings, such as the death of U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki in a 2011 drone strike in Yemen.

Ruling for the New York Times, a unanimous three-judge panel said the government waived its right to secrecy by making repeated public statements justifying targeted killings.

These included a Justice Department "white paper," as well as speeches or statements by officials like Attorney General Eric Holder and former Obama administration counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, endorsing the practice.

The Times and two reporters, Charlie Savage and Scott Shane, sought the memorandum under the federal Freedom of Information Act, saying it authorized the targeting of al-Awlaki, a cleric who joined al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate and directed many attacks.

"Whatever protection the legal analysis might once have had has been lost by virtue of public statements of public officials at the highest levels and official disclosure of the DOJ White Paper," Circuit Judge Jon Newman wrote for the appeals court panel in New York.

He said it was no longer logical or plausible to argue that disclosing the legal analysis could jeopardize military plans, intelligence activities or foreign relations.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/us-nytimes-dronestrikes-lawsuit-idUSBREA3K0QC20140421

[msanthrope]

1. As I wrote on the LBN thread, I hope the white paper is released, as I think

this administration has more than enough justification to back up the targeting of Awlaki.

I suspect they will appeal, as they are allowed by law.

[Jack for Sanders]

2. Yup, pretty much what John Yoo said too.

Glad someone is covering someones ass.

[msanthrope]

3. Kindly cite? Had Mr. Yoo's boss used a drone at Tora Bora, Iraq would not have been

necessary in the slightest.

Surely you don't disagree with that?