Gerald Ford in The Obamians, by James Mann

On Homeland Security: 1970s CIA assassination efforts led to ban on assassinations

The Obama administration referred to [stepped up] drone attacks as "targeted killing," rather than "assassinations." The euphemism was of legal significance. The 1970s congressional investigations of the CIA had uncovered the American efforts to assassinate foreign leaders such as Fidel Castro, and in response President Ford issued an executive order that banned assassinations. The order remained in effect in 2009. The administration's formal reasoning for why its overseas killings did not constitute assassination went like this: Congress had authorized the use of force against al-Qaeda. Therefore, America was at war, and under the law of war, America had the right to defend itself "by targeting persons such as high-level al-Qaeda leaders who are planning attacks." Since the laws of war permitted targeted killing, the Obama administration argued, therefore the practice wasn't illegal, and "hence does not constitute assassination." Source: The Obamians, by James Mann, p.217 Jun 14, 2012

The above quotations are from The Obamians The Struggle Inside the White House to Redefine American Power by James Mann. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Gerald Ford. Click here for Gerald Ford on all issues.
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