The Central Intelligence Agency may have its beloved aerial drone warfare franchise taken away from it by Congress. Our senators and representatives suspect rather strongly that the CIA’s drone cowboys are managing to inflict far too many civilian casualties. Distrust of this country’s premier intelligence outfit runs so deep that testimony by its various spokespersons almost automatically becomes the object of derision on Capitol Hill. It is in deep disrepute.
Putting the uniformed military in charge of the drone campaign is certainly no guarantee that this particular aerial warfare initiative will be run “cleanly” from now on. The military certainly is not infallible. Yet it is far more accountable to congressional oversight than the CIA. It is reasonable to hope that the Pentagon will strive to avoid the worst sorts of excesses. They can hardly do any worse.
Frank W. Goheen
Camas
