How is it possible - in any sense of the imagination, that our society could believe that drone strikes are either necessary, required, or in any way justified?
It's 6 June today. 6 June 1944, D-Day, 70 years ago. How on earth could we ever tell those men who fought for our freedom that we value their sacrifice so lightly that we have retained absolutely no concept of the rule of law?
I'm pretty sure that those men would have been similarly appalled at the threat to our way of life (to the extent it can be said to exist). The fact that we have forgotten what they fought for, the fact that we seemingly no longer value the right to a trial, evidence, and conviction prior to punishment speaks absolute volumes.
Yes, I too am concerned about being blown up in my neighbourhood market - but I am not so concerned that I am willing to throw away thousands of years of logic and due process on a whim. That right is what our forefathers fought for.
There is absolutely no justification for drone strikes - none. The fact that any government of ours should support them is appalling - and scary. I honestly, literally, shook in my boots earlier today when I finally realised what crimes were being committed in my name.
If you break the law, if you plot against the government, if you commit a crime - you should be charged, come before a jury of your peers, and, if found guilty, be sentenced. There is absolutely no justification for summary punishment - the entire idea goes against everything we should believe in, everything our forefathers fought for.
Further reading: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/05/two-australians-were-killed-by-us-drones-of-course-thats-our-business
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