MORE DUMB STUFF FROM WASHINGTON DC—CIA ON OUT-LAW KILLINGS

WE LIKE TO CLIAM WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS

BUT OUTSIDE OF THE LAW OUR CIA  KILLS PEOPLE  IT CLASSIFIES  AS “ENEMIES” ABROAD—- BUT WORSE— INNOCENT CIVILIANS DIE IN THE PROCESS.

SO WHY DOES PRESIDENT TRUMP WANT HIDE FROM US  HOW MANY INNOCENTS DIE EACH YEAR AT THE HANDS OF OUR CIA?

The AP reported today (March 8, 2019) from its Washington DC bureau that President Donald Trump revoked an Obama era executive order that required the CIA and other intelligence agencies to report annually the civilian casualties that resulted from US “intelligence operations” in non combat areas across the globe.  

I wonder who gave the right to the CIA chiefs to end the life of anyone they claim as an enemy around the globe?   There is little or no oversight in regard to who makes up these secretive  US “kill lists” or why these individuals are placed on an“enemies” list. .

After the last two years of troubling revelations concerning faulty and self-delusional decision-making (ass well as coup attempts) by top echelon elements in our Justice, Intelligence and FBI  made during the last election cycle one must conclude that we need more not less oversight of those in charge in these institutions.  President  Trump, himself a victim of some of the outrages of these unelected spies and secret organizations should have acted with more circumspection than he has in this case.

Though there are many cases of justified “undoings” of Obama-era executive orders, just because President Obam made the order does not mean such orders are wise to be undone.

President Obama smiled and looked “presidential” as he expanded  the small scale but leathal drone program first used by Mr. Bush (jr).  Obama who wanted to limit military actions abroad but did not have the gumption to oppose his generals instead went underground with lethal executive orders which  expanded a hundred fold the drone and kill program.  In the process he prepared long “kill lists” for assinations in war zones and elsewhere around the globe.   The policy gave us the national reputation in many corners of the world as the greatest “dealer of death from the skies”.  Many civilians were killed as collateral damage as a consequence. These deaths did not help end the war.  Considering that the Bush and Obama era wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere are still simmering decades after 9-11 one must conclude that both Bush and Obama polices of death from the skies did little to end or win the war.  Out law death dealing  probably generated more hatred of America and more jihaditss than it killed.

The most egregios elelemt of these outlaw actions begins with the question of first who decides if the killilings are justified and who the “bad guys”. are?  And second, who decides when and where they are targeted ?  Those decisions all to frequently were made with too litttle oversight and too little information, and perhaps too little concern with resulting “collateral” damage, i.e. the deaths of innocent bystanders, relatives, etc. .

In fact it would been  wiser of Mr. Trump if  since he was so eager to undo Obama executive orders he were he to INCREASE the oversight and accountability requirements for the CIA and other institutions involved in these extrajudicial killings rather than eliminate them. .

So this author concludes it is  plain dumb to actually remove the meager levels of oversight and accountability now required

Add this to the dumb stuff list.      .

OVERWORKING ANTISEMITE SLUR AGAINST REP OMAR (D MINN)

LET US GLORY IN OUR RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH-NOT LIMIT IT

LETS NOT WEAKEN TERM “ANTISEMITIC”

Democrats were feuding again—not with Mr. Trump or his supporters, but harmfully and counterproductively among themselves this time.  The feud is over free speech and alleged “antisemitism”.

Our own US State Department fully and adequately defines antisemitism as: “a perception of Jews which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews...or of Jewish community property...religious institutions... as well as targeting the State of Israel as a Jewish collectivity.”  However, the State Department document also adds that “criticism of Israel similar to that leveled at any other county cannot be regarded as antisemitic,” 

Apparently during a political event last week (@ March 1, 2019) at a DC bookstore first term female Muslim Democrat Representitave, Ilhan Omar (D 5th CD Minnesota)) asked her audience why it was acceptable for her to be able to criticize the NRA, fossil fuel industries, and other special interest groups, but not the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).  She complained that in Washington DC there exists a  “political influence that says that it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.”  Her remarks were recorded and jumped on by  Democrats and Republicans alike and hysterically characterized   as  antisemitic comment.  

I think there are many aspects of Israeli foreign policy, for example, military actions against Palestinians in the  occupied territories, collective punishment, shooting and killing peaceful Gaza demonstrators, etc. etc. and even that state’s  domestic politics that are worthy of criticism.  As Americans and as members of a Democracy, we are encouraged to think critically so as to function as informed citizens and voters.  Representative Omar is correct to underscore the shortcomings of Israel as a state—like criticism of any other foreign entity. . And she has a right that  in her view our own domestic politics  supports that state inappropriately.  As thinking Americans we should be thankful that our form of government permits such diverse opinions.  

Those on the left (and right) who, instead of  a trenchant politcal response to her statements,  hastily acted to silence her with ill-conceived threats and accusations of misplaced antisemitism.    Let’s reserve that term for those for whom that term fits.  Free speech is without doubt the greatest of our Constitutional guarantees.  We should all glory in our First Ammendment rights and actively use them.   Free discourse on issues is our greatest guarantee of a continuing free nation.

Finally let us not misuse the charge of “antisemitism”.  That scourge  sadly does exist and we as a people and a nation need to label it with a precise term unsullied or weakened by misuse. .