Drone strikes: Obama moves to block release of files on kill programme

The Obama administration has sought to block the release of documents related to its use of robot drones to strike suspected terrorists overseas, claiming that it can still not admit that the secretive programme of targeted killing exists.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Times have both submitted freedom of information requests to the department of justice, the CIA and the Pentagon seeking information about the programme. They have now gone to court to try and force the government to answer those requests and release details of its activities.

However, in a motion filed just before midnight ET on Wednesday, the government asked for the cases to be dismissed, saying that to release information would hurt national security, even while still insisting it cannot admit any such programme of targeted killing exists.

...The move prompted the ACLU to label the continued refusal to acknowledge the use of drones to kill alleged terrorist leaders as "absurd" given that both President Barack Obama and his counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan have both made public references to it.

There have also been extensive leaks to the press, notably the New York Times, which recently ran a highly detailed story about a "kill list" that the Obama administration maintains.

from related article. Obama has already leaked info to press

Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will

Mr. Obama is the liberal law professor who campaigned against the Iraq war and torture, and then insisted on approving every new name on an expanding “kill list,” poring over terrorist suspects’ biographies on what one official calls the macabre “baseball cards” of an unconventional war. When a rare opportunity for a drone strike at a top terrorist arises — but his family is with him — it is the president who has reserved to himself the final moral calculation

“The lady(s) doth protest too much, me thinks.”

The New York Times and the ACLU are key allies of the White House. John Brennan and Barack Obama—a pair of shameless political thespians—enjoy being described as “warrior patriots.” This lawsuit is a sham on both sides and probably includes a friendly judge. The aim is to release even more classified data.

[He leaked it to show how strong he is, rest of world are not impressed (paraphrase). . .]

The scandal of the national security leaks is negating the White House anti-terror policy as one of Obama’s few positive accomplishments.

Bin Laden took up residence in his Abottabad compound in 2006. With the extravagant reward on his head, and the mixed loyalties in the Pakistani Army and ISI, I think officials in the Bush Administration knew Osama’s location that same year. This would have presented a diplomatic conundrum in respect to U.S. relations with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

In the case of Pakistan, their Port of Karachi is the beginning of the only overland logistics route for materials feeding the U.S. effort in Afghanistan. Killing or capturing Bin Laden would embarrass the Paks and possibly destabilize the government. It would certainly increase the danger to U.S. forces.

With the Saudis the danger was that a live Osama would implicate scores of high-level officials and Royal Family kin in terrorist funding. Their retaliation would be the oil spigot.

In the 2008 primary debates Barack Obama repeatedly said he would go into Pakistan after Bin Laden if he was found hiding there. This could indicate that someone at State leaked information to Obama.

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