Look at this mugshot of the public face of the largest criminal organisation in the world.
The US military uses a controversial method to count civilian casualties. Every male of military age in a strike zone is counted as a combatant, unless there is explicit intelligence proving them innocent[1]. How do you even prove someone innocent?
One series of drone strikes, intended to kill 41 combatants resulted in the deaths of 1,147 people[2], without necessarily killing those it intended to kill. How can we even know that those 41 targets were guilty? We don't, especially considering that drone targets are normally chosen only by tracing the metadata on their phones, a program which former NSA technical director Bill Binney referred to as "undisciplined slaughter"[3].
Take a good look at this face. You might like him, think he's charming, laugh at his speechwriters' words that he reads off a teleprompter. That shouldn't stop you asking the question: How much power should one man have over the lives of others?
Kurt Robinson for www.theparadiseparadox.com
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[1] http://www.nytimes.com/…/obamas-leadership-in-war-on-al-qae… [2] https://www.theguardian.com/…/-sp-us-drone-strikes-kill-1147 [3] http://www.washingtonsblog.com/…/former-high-level-nsa-offi…