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<P>This week, the <I>New York Times</I> <A href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/world/obamas-leadership-in-war-on-al-qaeda.html" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#0000ff>reported</FONT></A> that the U.S. government has declared by fiat that it will count any "military-age male" killed by a U.S. drone strike as a "combatant" unless it is proved otherwise. That helps explain how U.S. officials could claim that few "civilians" have been killed by U.S. drone strikes.</P>
<P>Reps. <SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1338614897_4 style="CURSOR: hand; BORDER-BOTTOM: #366388 2px dotted">Dennis Kucinich</SPAN> and John Conyers are circulating <A href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/1219" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1338614897_5><FONT color=#0000ff>a Congressional letter</FONT></SPAN></A> to President Obama, pressing the Administration to communicate with Congress about U.S. policy on drone strikes, particularly concerning civilian casualties and so-called "signature strikes" against unknown people. The Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, Amnesty International and other groups <A href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/1242" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#0000ff>are pressing</FONT></A> the Administration on the same demands. Pressing the Administration to speak honestly and openly with Congress and the American people about its drone strike policy is the first step to stopping
the U.S. from killing and harming civilians with drone strikes.</P>
<P>Join me in urging your Representative to sign the Kucinich-Conyers letter demanding transparency in the drone strike policy.<BR><BR><B><A href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/kucinich-conyers-drone-letter" target=_blank rel=nofollow><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1338614897_6><FONT color=#810081>http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/kucinich-conyers-drone-letter</FONT></SPAN></A></B><BR><BR>Thanks!</P></DIV></div></body></html>