[Peace-discuss] Illinois ink on A16 hearing: "Drone use just? With secrecy come doubts, group says"

[Robert Naiman]

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/drone-use-just-with-secrecy-come-doubts-group-says/article_5dffe23c-a329-11e2-a836-0019bb2963f4.html

Drone use just? With secrecy come doubts, group says
D.W. NORRIS, THE
SOUTHERN<http://thesouthern.com/search/?l=50&sd=desc&s=start_time&f=html&byline=BY%20D.W.%20NORRIS%2C%20THE%20SOUTHERN>
8 hours ago

CARBONDALE — More than three dozen people attended a teach-in at SIU’s
Lesar Law Building on Thursday to rally support for greater transparency in
the U.S. policy of targeted killings by drone aircraft overseas.

Robert Naiman, policy director of the independent Just Foreign Policy
group, spoke for about an hour on what he sees as constitutional, moral and
ethical problems with the nation’s policy of targeted killings. He also
said describing the killings as targeted was inaccurate.

The secrecy surrounding U.S. policy was particularly troubling and makes it
impossible to have an informed debate and congressional oversight, Naiman
said.

“There is a black hole in our democracy and this policy is the black hole,”
he said.

The gathering, part of the Maggie Parker Teach-In series, was held in
advance of Saturday’s nationwide protests of U.S. drone policy in the
Middle East and Africa.

The Southern Illinois Peace Coalition will hold a vigil at noon Saturday at
Carbondale’s Town Square Pavilion. A march to Gaia House at the corner of
South Illinois Avenue and Grand Avenue will follow.

U.S. drone policy will also come under scrutiny April 16 when Sen. Dick
Durbin, D-Illinois, chairs a Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee
hearing on the issue.

Naiman implored attendees to contact Durbin’s offices with questions they
would like the senator to ask.

“In this particular case of drone strike policy, Dick Durbin is going to be
key,” Naiman said.

Later, Naiman said, “This is a key moment of opportunity to try to get
information (on drones) into the public debate.”

Carbondale’s Ben Begley said he has a son on active duty with the Army and
he supports the drone program up to a point.

“I think there is some value in the drone itself as a weapon because of my
concern for American lives,” Begley said during a question-and-answer
period after Naiman’s presentation.

However, Begley said he was concerned because he believed the program has
expanded beyond its initial intent and was being used indiscriminately.

“I think it is important to get the policy out in the open and have a
frank, open discussion about all the aspects of it,” he said.

Razia Sami and her husband Abdus Sami are U.S. citizens from Pakistan and
still have family living there. Razia Sami said she was concerned for the
safety of Pakistani civilians.

“It’s very traumatic and we can’t do anything,” she said. “There are
hundreds and hundreds of kids who are disabled. Who’s going to take care of
those kids?”
-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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