"". . . a pilotless Predator aircraft operated [by the CIA] fired a Hellfire antitank missile" at a car in a remote region of Yemen, killing six, including an Al Qaeda leader, Salim Sinan al-Harethi, and "one suspected al-Qaeda operative with United States citizenship."

That dead American passenger was Kamal Derwish, who, according to the Bush administration, was the leader of an alleged cell of Al Qaeda sleepers in Lackawanna, a Buffalo, New York, suburb. As syndicated columnist Charles Levendosky—a constant and accurate chronicler of the Bush shadow Constitution—wrote:

"[Derwish was labeled] an enemy combatant, but only after his death. . . . Derwish was never accused of any crime in a court of law. Essentially, he was killed because of the company he kept"—and it was too late for him to tell his side of the story.

- Our Designated Killers
Nat Hentoff, Village Voice, February 14th, 2003"

George,

Nat Hentoff seems to forget that terrorists attacked The United States. War was declared. Maybe not by another nation or state, but declared nonetheless.

The basic principles of the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia shaped the relations between nation-states. The treaty formulated the doctrine of sovereignty, which declared a state's domestic conduct and institutions to be beyond the reach of other states.

Do terrorists or their organizations constitute a state? Franz Oppenheimer argues, “the State may be defined as an organisation of one class dominating over the other classes. Such a class organisation can come about in one way only, namely, through conquest and the subjection of ethnic groups by the dominating group.” - http://www.opp.uni-wuppertal.de/oppenheimer/st/state0.htm

The discussion of whether or not Al-Qaeda is a nation or state may be argued, The U.S. Congress has twice authorized the President to use “all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

On October 10, 2002 the (then) Republican-controlled House voted 296 to 133 to allow the president to use the military ``against the continuing threat'' posed by the Iraqi regime. By 1:15 a.m. the next morning the Democratic-run Senate followed with a vote of 77 to 23 for the measure.

Mr. Hentoff needs to be reminded that the House and Senate, comprised of civilians, the President and his cabinet, also civilians do control the military. “The Constitution calls for civilian control of the military, right, Mr. Hentoff?”

"If the CIA kills more suspected terrorists in more countries, will it have the unintended effect of 'legitimizing' terrorist attacks against U.S. military officers in foreign countries or even at home?"

Mr. Hentoff, if we don’t do anything will terrorists simply stop attacking U.S. Military Officers or innocent U.S. civilians here and abroad? No. Terrorists are going to continue their attacks on the United States. They have a determination to do so and no reason to discontinue. The real estate on Earth has been gobbled up. Terrorist groups have no home and are looking for a place to live through conquest and subjection.

I am ready to accept targeted killing missions (of terrorists) by our military and/or the CIA. This is going to be one of the most effective ways of fighting the war against terrorism.

If you are an American citizen and find yourself associating with the wrong types of characters; if you take up arms with enemies of America or in any way assist them or harbor them, remember to beware the company you keep.

Will Lyster (electronic mail, February 25, 2003)