Hello Bob,   
      
    BK>> Armed drones have very very limited justification inside this   
    BK>> country.   
      
    PF>> Pray tell, what justification do we have for unarmed drones   
    PF>> operating in the US against US citizens or foreign   
    PF>> nationals?   
      
    BK> The most obvious answer, is, I did not say they had any   
    BK> justification for operations against any person in this country.   
      
   The use of armed drones inside this country should be very rare.   
   Only in cases of absolute national security.   
      
   BK>They do have justification for training.   
      
   Where will we drop the bombs?  We no longer use Hawai'i or Puerto   
   Rico as a testing site.  Too many natives objected.  And Alaska is   
   far too cold for any serious bombing.  Especially since those nasty   
   environmentalists would throw a fit.  Maybe the governor of Ohio   
   might lease out some land for that purpose.  It would give him   
   a chance to wipe out Cleveland and create new green space.  I   
   mean, you are talking about a city that once set a river on fire.   
      
   BF>However, I would add, if I was flying an armed drone, and   
   BF>spotted you sitting on a hill above a town, with a machine gun,   
   BF>firing at the people in the town, I would fire the missile at   
   BF>you.   
      
   It depends on what people.  If the people he was firing at were   
   al-Qaeda terrorists, it might be best to wipe out the town rather   
   than the person taking potshots at them with a rifle.   
      
    PF>> Followup question -- do those conditions exist   
    PF>> today?   
      
   BK>I don't know. I am pretty sure they didn't exist in this country   
   BK>yesterday, but today is a new day.   
      
   Conditions change with each and every passing day.  So what do you   
   do?  Carpe Diem!  Seize the day!  That is the ticket for success!   
      
   BK>The use of leathal force is severly restricted in the US.   
      
   One man.  One gun.  20 dead 1st graders and 6 dead teachers.   
   The man had a second gun, which he used on himself, bringing   
   the total of adults killed to 7.   
      
   As a people, we have more guns and more ammo than any other   
   people on earth.  And fewer laws or restrictions on those guns   
   and ammo.  It is a wonder we haven't killed each other off in   
   entirety.  But give the NRA time.  The NRA will encourage us   
   to continue our wild and woolly ways until we actually manage   
   to complete the feat.   
      
   BK>Only in a case involving immediate danger of bodily harm to an   
   BK>innocent person. At least, AFAIK. Whether it's an armed drone or   
   BK>a crossbow does not matter for that purpose.   
      
   Our nation has had a long and bloody history.  We would not want   
   to change who we are now, or ever.  I mean, we have to uphold our   
   fine tradition.  It's important.   
      
   BK>BTW, I previously expressed support for Rand Paul's effort. I   
   BK>have since learned, Holder had responded to a congressional   
   BK>committee before Rand Paul began his filibuster, and said they   
   BK>could not use armed drones against suspects not involved in   
   BK>attacks at the time. Rand Paul was informed of that during his   
   BK>filibuster, and he kept on talking.   
      
   You have to forgive him.  He's from Kentucky.  And his father   
   is from Texas.   
      
   BK>It was all showboating.   
      
   "Pistol" Pete Maravich was a showboat, knowing exactly what to do   
   with a basketball.  The first white guy ever to travel and perform   
   with the Harlem Globetrotters, he knew all about showboating ...   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)