President Obama, Show us the drone memos

[Coffee Jesus]

In battle, combatants engaged in war against America get no due process and may lawfully be killed. But citizens not in a battlefield, however despicable, are guaranteed a trial by our Constitution.

He notes an exception to the rule without explaining why it's a good exception, then expects us to accept that Obama's exception is somehow unacceptable. His case would have seemed stronger if he had left that out.

I think the memos should be released nonetheless.

But this new legal standard does not apply merely to a despicable human being who wanted to harm the United States. The Obama administration has established a legal justification that applies to every American citizen, whether in Yemen, Germany or Canada.

I find this hard to believe. Its applicability has to be contingent. A law that says the president can kill anyone at any time for any reason would be blatantly unconstitutional.

Those who would make exceptions for killing accused American citizens without trial should give thought to the times in our history when either prejudice or fear allowed us to forget due process. During World War I, our nation convicted and imprisoned Americans who voiced opposition to the war. During World War II, the government interned Japanese-Americans.

Then he compares Obama to Hitler. He hasn't even seen the memos!