President Biden has imposed temporary limits on drone strikes, and covert raids in country’s outside of major war zones as the new administration reviews the policies left by the Trump administration.
The limits mean the CIA and military must get permission from the White House before they carry out drone strikes or raids in places the US does not have a major military presence, like Somalia and Yemen. The limits don’t apply to Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
The Biden administration has not announced these limits. The move was reported this week by The New York Times and The Washington Post. According to the reports, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan imposed the limits on January 20th, the day President Biden was inaugurated.
The Trump administration loosened the rules of engagement for counterterrorism operations and airstrikes, giving the military more authority. This resulted in a record number of US airstrikes and raids in Somalia and Yemen.
According to the reports, the Trump-era rules did not require permission from the White House to carry out kill or capture missions. But the CIA or military did need the approval of the US ambassador in whichever country they were operating in.
The limits on drone strikes are part of the Biden administration’s broader review of US counterterrorism operations. According to National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne, Biden has issued interim rules for the terror wars in the meantime.
“The limits mean the CIA and military must get permission from the White House before they carry out drone strikes or raids in places the US does not have a major military presence, like Somalia and Yemen.”
I can only imagine how many times the White House will answer with “no”. A meaningless gesture if there ever was one. Ever any talk about ending our drone program?
There should be NO war zones. Will there be a time when we are NOT at war somewhere??
More like we are at war everywhere at all times, whenever convenient to a killing that serves somebody with power to kill.
Killing not part of a war is called “murder.”
Killing that is part of war can still be murder, depending on Just War Theory and a lot of other philosophy, but outside war it is clear.
I didn’t even think of that when I read the headline. I’ve been conditioned I guess. Damn.
Oh Yeah…”Major Warzones” BBBBB—But I thought we were told by out leaders that the whole world is a war zone & WE are allowed to snuff anyone anytime, women, children, men, boys, girls, dogs cats, horses, camels American children, no arrest or trial necessary & G-d himself granted us this privilege exclusively. No one is allowed to snuff any.of us. Anything of that sort of thing is exclusively the work of the devil and the godless wogs of all colours, races & faiths.