October, 15 2015, 11:15am EDT
ACLU Comment on Leaked Targeted Killing Documents
The Intercept released documents today showing that the government's targeted killing operations are rife with intelligence shortcomings and frequent civilian casualties. The papers also reveal that the reality of the operations is far from the public picture presented by the government.
Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Security Project, had this reaction:
NEW YORK
The Intercept released documents today showing that the government's targeted killing operations are rife with intelligence shortcomings and frequent civilian casualties. The papers also reveal that the reality of the operations is far from the public picture presented by the government.
Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union National Security Project, had this reaction:
"These eye-opening disclosures make a mockery of U.S. government claims that its lethal force operations are based on reliable intelligence and limited to lawful targets. In fact, the government often claims successes that are really tragic losses. The Obama administration's lethal program desperately needs transparency and accountability because it is undermining the right to life and national security."
The ACLU is currently litigating several Freedom of Information Act lawsuits to uncover more about who the government has killed and why, as well as the legal basis for its operations.
More on targeted killing is at:
https://www.aclu.org/issues/national-security/targeted-killing
This statement is at:
https://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-comment-leaked-targeted-killing-documents
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
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