As the most forwardly deployed military force in the world, the United States has a strong national interest in maintaining the integrity of international law. To the extent that its targeted killing program fails to maintain—and be seen to maintain—fidelity to these rules, the United States risks not only committing war crimes, but undermining a system of rules that has protected our own military for decades.
White House senior counterterrorism advisor John Brennan has said, “I think the rule should be that if we’re going to take actions overseas that result in the deaths of people, the United States should take responsibility for that.” The administration should be doing more to make that rule a practical reality. Human Rights First has published a blueprint for the second Obama administration, How To Ensure That the U.S. Drone Program Does Not Violate Human Rights.
