US discloses conditions for lethal drone strikes overseas

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The White House has released a version of President Barack Obama’s 3-year-old guidance on the use of lethal force against terrorists overseas, laying out what it says are safeguards to minimize civilian deaths and errant strikes while preserving the capability to take quick action with drone attacks and other means.

The “presidential policy guidance” stipulates that the U.S., when operating outside areas of active hostilities, will take direct action only when there is “near certainty” that the terrorist target is present and that noncombatants won’t be killed or injured. Lethal force also can be undertaken only against a lawful target that poses a “continuing, imminent threat” to Americans.

The principles, released with redactions, provide more detail on the conditions for drone strikes and other direct action than the White House revealed earlier when it summarized the document in a fact sheet in 2013. Obama or his aides have spoken previously, though, about the “near certainty” standard at the heart of the guidance – a standard that hasn’t silenced criticism over civilian deaths from drones.

The American Civil Liberties Union had sued for disclosure of the guidance under the Freedom of Information Act and welcomed the development.