Drones on trial, and a judge listens

This case addresses a concern I've shared: a drone cannot tell who was alreday in a house or other shelter or place of individual concealment, before the drone turned its attention to the same. It can tell who leaves while it 'watches', and who arrives. But it cannot tell who was already there. If the drone is responding to military intelligence information, that information is only as reliable and unbiased as the original source. Thus there are serious risks:

1. There may be any number of wholly innocent people in that location.
2. The source of information may be using the US to solve a personal problem, such as that the place in question harbors:
a. the competitor suitor for a young lady's hand
b. the business competitor, whatever that business may be
c. the other side in a family feud
3. The identified target may not be the one which intelligence meant the drone to attack.

Thus the drone may be engaged in murder for hire, if the source or the source's source was not speaking in good faith, and in any event the strike may kill innocent people Collateral damage is not collateral when it comes to the relatives and friends of a deceased. Every mother killed means children with a cause to hate the US, some of who may pick up the family rifle and go hunting.

In short, the drone's missile does not have a human intelligence that can see with its 'eyes' and can look around just before exploding to make sure it should, and could decide to become benign and bounce off the floor gently.

P.S. I served in the Army and know what it's all about. "Class of '68" ...

Kudos to the peace activists with Padre Steve Kelly SJ, walking in the footsteps of Padre John Dear SJ, Padre Daniel Berrigan SJ, Padre José Mulligan SJ and our recently demised Padre Bill Callahan SJ. and Padre Robert Carter SJ. and so many other unsung heroes who have latched onto the task in our modern world of working for the Kingdom of Abbá Father, “on earth as it is in heaven” in the public world, that “other possible society,” that “other possible world”.

This fine article by Jerica Arents certainly is a shot in the arm for this expatriate of the US of North America. Born, raised and living in the USA for the first 27 years of my life, and now 55 years living in Nicaragua Central America, I have come to realize that LOOKING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE is very helpful to analyze public life, political policy and even the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of North America.

From the outside looking in, things seem much clearer, and something like the “DRONES ON TRIAL” seems almost ridiculously simple to unravel in JUSTICE, if not in legality. Here are a few similar cases that happen to pop into my mind:

Our Popular Nicaraguan Sandinist Revolution, on July 19th 1979 threw out the 40 year dictatorial Somoza family which had been backed up by the USA government from beginning to the end. In the 1980’s the USA President Ronald Reagan declared what TIME called “Reagan’s Dirty War On Nicaragua” where we lost some 50,000 young Nicaraguan Americans also thanks to the $$ support of Oliver North and his “Iran-Contras-Gate”.

The USA government’s continual efforts to destroy the Cuban Revolution with such things as the “Bay of Pigs” invasion and now almost 50 years of a commercial blockade against Cuba

The infamous “9/11”, NO, not in New York in the year 2001, but “9/11,1973” in Santiago, Chile when the CIA delivered on the coup against the first popularly elected socialist president of our Mestiza America. Chile is the wealthiest of our countries. The elected President Salvador Allende Gozens was killed and the bloody Dictator Augusto Pinochet put into his place.

The infamous military “School of the Americas” which has systematically trained the military “strong men “ of our countries during the past many years.

Again in our backyard, we just commemorated the bloody murder by the Salvadoran military of 5 Jesuit priests together with their house keeper and her daughter, in the University UCA of San Salvador, El Salvador, just 20 years ago. Recently declassified documents confirm that the USA government and its CIA were well informed previous to this “military action.”

As I say, looking in from the outside at USA policy, it seems almost ridiculously simple to unravel in JUSTICE, even though not in legality.

Justiniano de Managua

It is small comfort to recognize that the message of your first two sentences has been uttered time after time over centuries, mutatis mutandis. The exact same thought has arisen at the introduction of the lance, the bullet, the rifle, the howitzer, the rocket, the cruise missile, etc. -- new level - modern warfare - from great distances - lifeless, indiscriminate killing machine. It seems rather odd to focus in on drones since all the other examples except lances remain in common, lethal use in modern wars.

Thanks, Jerica, for this very good article about a powerful courtroom witness, with truth spoken throughout about international law, the necessity defense, nonviolent civil resistance and drones (extrajudicial killing) - a victory before the verdict is even determined!

Thank you for this posting. I have been praying for the Creech 14. I will continue to pray for the judge during his time of study. May we all learn to live in peace.

A powerful testimony that demonstrates that the supporters of war, aggression and violence have no arguments left with which to defend the indefensible wars of aggression. Good work by dedicated peace activistss - thank you so much for being there.

I was deeply moved and inspired by this story.
Another machine, another death maker without conscience challenged conscience.
All gratitude to the Creech 14 and the witness they bear.

Thank you for posting this article. Ramsey Clark? You can't be serious!

meanwhile as he deliberates so nobly on the obvious ( i.e. civil disobedience IS often justified ) for 3 months, the charge remains hanging over the heads of the protesters like the sword of damocles, just like it does in the cases of so many activists that go to court like this. How much of a victory is that. It's a common tactic to drag these things out to take up the time and wear down the resolve of those willing to protest. Even if the protestors are let off, the process still takes its toll and discourages dissent whilst staying within the letter of the law. not victory in my book.

meanwhile as he deliberates so nobly on the obvious ( i.e. civil disobedience IS often justified ) for 3 months, the charge remains hanging over the heads of the protesters like the sword of damocles, just like it does in the cases of so many activists that go to court like this. How much of a victory is that. It's a common tactic to drag these things out to take up the time and wear down the resolve of those willing to protest. Even if the protestors are let off, the process still takes its toll and discourages dissent whilst staying within the letter of the law. not victory in my book.

A minor quibble, but I think it's a mistake to speak of 'basic human rights', as if some human rights were more important than others. All human rights are interdependent and indivisible.

After so many years of waiting for a court, any court, to allow this to be said. WOW. The precedent just overwhelms me. Not only was this a great victory for the peace movement, regardless of the decision, but a victory for democracy. A victory for the entire world, as it will bring so much light to the devastation our military, and its allies, bring on the people.
I sense that some don't really see the significance of what just happened. In due time, thank you, Creech 14.

Thanks to Olivia for not minimizing the fact that all human rights are "interdedendent and indivisible"!
And great gratitude to the Creech14, great American patriots all. When will we ever learn??? These
drones are loaded with uranium dipped nose cones - and leave this toxic poison for our own troops
(never mind the children and other innocents) to trudge through and be poisoned by - and then look at how we treat
these young people we send to the ME to do this dirty work when they come home!!! Have we ALL no shame left?? Love/peace, Elizabeth