Air campaign: With military-led drones comes less scrutiny from Congress
Air campaign: With military-led drones comes less scrutiny from Congress
Putting the U.S. military in charge of drone strikes in Iraq and Syria has effectively reduced congressional examination of those sensitive operations. The main counterterrorism focus is the war against the Islamic State, where military special operations forces are flying drones that hunt and kill a senior militant every two days. American officials say that congressional staffers no longer examine the details of each drone strike. Some CIA officials, lawmakers and outside activists worry that the new arrangement creates a greater risk of mistakes, given that drone strikes regularly target key militants who don't wear uniforms and embed themselves in civilian populations. Congress, they say, should independently review each drone strike to monitor targeting decisions and compliance with the rules of engagement.
Congress ought to be exercising equally rigorous oversight irrespective of which agency or department uses lethal force.
Raha Wala, senior counsel at Human Rights First
Because CIA drone strikes are covert, the CIA must disclose them to the House and Senate intelligence committees. The military does not face the same legal requirement. Congressional aides don't watch video or otherwise examine the details of each strike, officials say. There are simply too many, and the personnel in charge of them are overseas or unavailable for frequent briefings, they say.
