(RPI) The Dallas shootings have ushered in a very new world for U.S. citizens. For the very first time, a drone has been used on U.S. soil to kill an American without trial or charges.
The suspected shooter in yesterday’s tragic killings, U.S. Army veteran Micah Xavier Johnson, was, according to police and press reports, holed up in a parking garage and would not give himself up. After hours of what police claimed were fruitless negotiations with Johnson, a weaponized robot was sent to where he was hiding and blown up, taking Johnson with it.
Get past the horror of what Johnson was accused of doing and think about that precedent for a moment. Is it not chilling?
RPI regular contributor Peter Van Buren, a retired State Department official who did a tour in Iraq, put a very fine point on the “robot” bomb:
We have the first law enforcement use of drone (albeit with wheels not wings) to kill someone w/out trial in America https://t.co/l0Db8h0ASM
— Peter Van Buren (@WeMeantWell) July 8, 2016
Indeed, even without wings, this was a drone sent in to kill an American suspected of a crime.
Police claim that continuing the negotiations was pointless and attempting to capture him would have put officers at risk. He was supposedly shooting. While no sane person wants police officers to be killed, risk is something we are told they willingly accept when they sign up for police duty. There are plenty of low-risk jobs out there.
The media and opinion-leaders are presenting us with a false choice: if we question the use of drones to kill Americans — even if we suspect they have done very bad things — we somehow do not care about the lives of police officers. That is not the case. It is perfectly possible to not want police officers to be killed in the line of duty but to wholeheartedly reject the idea of authorities using drones to remotely kill Americans before they are found guilty.
African-American Dallas protester Mark Hughes was wrongly identified by Dallas Police as a suspect in the shootings. Police tweeted photos of Hughes marching with protesters openly carrying a rifle, as is permitted in Texas. Police claimed he was involved in the shooting. He was a suspect just like Johnson was a suspect. During questioning they told Hughes that they had video of him shooting people, which was a lie. What if police had sent in a drone to take out Mark Hughes? What will happen in the future to a future Mark Hughes, falsely accused by police of being involved in a shooting? Will we come to accept murder without trial?
This article (A Drone Was Used to Blow up a US Citizen Without Trial Yesterday. Let That Sink In) by Daniel McAdams originally appeared on RonPaulInstitute.org and was used with permission. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email [email protected].
too many people have been brainwashed into thinking they have rights then leave it to the government to take them away without further deliberation. people have forgotten the survival instincts they were probably born with. I say if you are not hurting anyone or stealing anything you can do whatever you please. and if that means stockpiling equipment to protect yourself then so do it because you never know when some fng absolecent is given powers to use a weapon with lethal force under the discretion of some law book they read up on at uni while having cheese and biscuits from a plastic tray. the question is. are you going to let yourself be mistakingly blown up because of a stupid law book or by someone else?
this should apply to anywhere and anyone.
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
I think you’re looking for Foxnews.com… Go to the top of your browser, to the address bar, and type in, http://www.foxnews.com . I’m sure you will find someone there to read your opinion.
OK. Then tell me how you would have gotten a man who was obviously trained in someway to kill and had killed several cops, out of that building with out losing more people or running into possible IEDs set as traps? You claim risk is part of the job yes it is but it is indeed not unnecessary risk. Learn the difference. But I’ll wait for the answer.
Wait. That was the answer.
Need the 3+1 law of robotics by Isacc Asimov.
Like a virus or malware IN ANY ROBOT or tech item.
You’re somd sort of moron just what else do you expect thr police to do? Theur job is to protect and serve which is exactly what they werr doing.
There was no ‘suspectedly’about it, thr killer had bern foring weapons killing 5 officers and injuring another 7 – the police used what theg had af theit dusposal to thd best effect and minimal risk to them and others.
Fking idiot bleating on how a multiple killer intent on taking out more peopld was finally stopped!
Your a fuckin illiterate asshole who knows nothing about the limits on gvt. They are not allowed to do stuff like this but we have dumbasses like you in the majority who let it happen cus you can’t even read the constitution let alone understand it.
Shut up asshole, I have friends and family who serve as police officers and if they have a militarily trained gunman cornered and he is determined “to kill as many cops as possible” then I want the to use an option that does not needlessly put themselves and the rest of the public at GREAT danger. Yes the recent events are incredibly sad and those victims deserve justice, but are you really going to defend a guy who took 7 lives? Not to mention that those events took place in different states.
Suck it up princess the world is a terrible place and the police are just making it harder on themselves.. personally I hope the US, UK and Oz burns we’ve all gone down a dark path and it needs to get sorted out before it gets exponentially worse.
I have to laugh. We (the USA) have been killing with drones in other nations for years. It’s this presidents weapon of choice. How could we not think it would lead to use within the borders.
The article is misleading. This was not a crime suspect that the police executed without a trial. This was an active threat against the officers that they were able to neutralize without harm to themselves. Had they gone in to arrest the suspect, he would have shot and then and been killed by an officer. You don’t threaten cops and actively try to kill them and then expect them to take the gentle approach to try and apprehend you.
A sign of dictator ship is, when death and life is in one hand…
In the USA, by super delegates the minority can win, what makes it a oligarchy and not a democracy.
Cops hunt, cops judge and cops are hangmans and kill, cops work for the state, so it is a true and fully dictatorship! Without a dictator, it is the oligarchy, the elite who rules…
Wake up people! You living the lie of freedom and choice, while there is NO!
Good riddance
If he was innocent… he could have given himself up…
I could never condone the killing of police but I also cannot condone the wanton murder of citizens by police. Even worse is the hypocrasy and double standards shown. Where was the presidential cry for all public building to fly their flags at half mast every time a citizen was murdered by the police. Where was the official visit to the scene of the crime. Where were the robots sent to hunt the killers hiding behind their uniforms and badges.
I am just grateful I live in the UK and can happily go out at any time of the day with a reasonable expectation of getting home again without seeing a gun or being assaulted by the police
I cry for America
I have often wondered why police kill people who run away instead of shooting them in the leg to bring them down. In this case I wonder why don’t they use a drone that releases a gas or tranquilliser to quickly render the victim unconscious, rather than kill them. Surely we have the technology?
I could not have said it better, well stated Mr. Fisher.
There needs to be a police strategic reform when it comes to dealing with criminals or suspected criminals, shoot first and ask questions later usually only happens on a diehard movie.
I certainly don’t condone the actions of the shooter but if a Cop can continually kill individuals without consequences, isn’t it true that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction? Should we really be that surprised that this is what they’re pushing these individuals to?
I believe stronger psychological screening needs to be performed to future cops before putting them on duty.
This way they can have individuals that are fully equipped to deal with stressful situations.
The mind is just as important as the body.
What are you talking about Mr Jose about police strategy reforms dealing with what criminals? The people? The actual criminals are those cops that kill people, pulling people over without reason,taxing, speeding mostly everything a civilian or person does is considered a crime according to police. They just don’t know the real laws that apply to certain situations. Example :A driver is considered someone who is engaged in commerce,people driving commercial vehicles:taxis,truck drivers,etc.
So since it are drones that kill US citizens you start to worry?
You should have started worrying when the USA started to kill citizens worldwide. Besides the fact that it simple MURDER it is / was also a good practice round for how to suppress US citizens. Now I think of it …. every American should have a drone with a gun …. just to protect him/her self.
Im just so happy n grateful that I live in Canada. America is getting far to blood thirsty. their lack of severance for life is astounding. My heart aches for the families of those officers killed. But aches for the families of the people who have been killed by police who had no conscience too.
The dumbass got the same trial the Officers he killed had???
well seeing as he wasn’t proven guilty, it is highly possible he was innocent and didn’t want to admit guilt, especially if he was military, anyone ever herd the expression “never pass a fail”. so let me ask all of you this; if you were being wrongly accused of something and police are pointing guns at you and yelling threats and orders but you had the means to protect yourself in the name of justice, would you?
Abso-fuckin-lutely!
My god this article is stupid. A guy is shooting people and so the police shoot back, this time with a explosive device instead of an explosive bullet. The murderer is killed. What difference does it make how he was stopped? If he was shooting at your family would you prefer they try persuasion or kill him before he kills your loved ones?
Finally! Someone with some common sense. Thank you, Jay.
For a moment there, I thought that many Americans were mixing Fox News with regular crime television based on these responses.
What would they have done before drones where around? Stand off until a surrender or capture?