Query: Having read the classified white paper on drone strikes, I'm wondering the following:
(1) Is there any check on the President's power to claim that a U.S. citizen is a member of a terrorist group?
(2) Is there any check on the President's power to assassinate a U.S. citizen outside the borders of the United States who has been declared a member of a terrorist group?
It seems to me the answer to Question 1 and Question 2 are clearly, according to the President, "No." This means that the President does not believe in the extra-territorial application of the 4th Amendment to American citizens.
(3) Is there any check on the power of the President to claim that assassination is subject to either "executive privilege" or "national security privilege"?
It seems the answer is "No," again, according to the Present.
And this leads me to (see after the Orange Squiggle of Doom!)
(4) If the President ordered the death of an American citizen for national security purpose and the death took place inside the United States, and the President invoked the National Security privilege, would the dead citizen or his family have any recourse against the President?
It seems to me that the President would say no to this as well -- the death could be protected by national security, and no court would have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Which leads me to ask the next questions:
Why have a 4th Amendment if we aren't going to follow it?