Reps. Johson and Lewis: Support the "Come Clean on Drones Killing" Bill!

Rep. Henry "Hank" Johnson

Two progressive members of Congress from Georgia -- Henry Johnson and John Lewis -- both joined the May 10, 2012, letter demanding answers from the Administration about the drone killing program. That letter stated in part,

The implications of the use of drones for our national security are profound. They are faceless ambassadors that cause civilian deaths, and are frequently the only direct contact with Americans that the targeted communities have. They can generate powerful and enduring anti-American sentiment.

(See "26 Reps: Ensure Transparency and Accountability In The U.S. Combat Drone Program" in Just Foreign Policy)

Rep. John Lewis

Now a bill is pending in Congress -- the The Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act (HR 4372) -- also known as the "Come Clean on Drone Killing" Act. At this writing, quite a few of Rep. Johnson and Lewis' fellow progressive caucus members have become co-sponsors for the bill. So where are Rep. Johnson and Lewis?

Rep. Johnson's constituents need to contact him and urge him to co-sponsor the bill today.

Rep. Lewis' constituents need to contact him and urge him to co-sponsor the bill today.

 Additional resources to help:

Identify your member of Congress

Example letter to a member of Congress in support of HR 4372: the Targeted Lethal Force Transparency Act (the "come clean on drone killings" act)


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First Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) called the U.S. on the carpet for dodging the call from the international community to come clean about its drone killings. Then Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) submitted a bill calling for drone transparency. So ... are we finally going to get the truth?

(See REAL Progressives Demand that the U.S. Come Clean on Drone Killings)

The Walk began April 26 at Ft. Benning, site of the School of the Americas where for decades Latin American troops have been trained in counter-insurgency and population control methods, and which is also now a testing site for killer drones. It concluded at Georgia Tech, where millions of Pentagon dollars fund research into further development of killer drones.

(See Massive anti-drone action today at Georgia Tech! )

A 2013 U.N. report makes it clear that the U.S. has to report fully on all its drone attacks.

(See 2014: The Year of Transparency (for U.S. Drone Use)?)

Military Drone Programs in Georgia Lead to Crashes

Hunter drone crash - 2009 - Wright Army Airfield

On June 22, 2014, the Washington Post published the results of a far-reaching investigation into crashes that have occurred in the U.S. drone program.

Shockingly, of the 194 major ("Class A") crashes that the Washington Post was able to document, 47  occurred within the United States.

Below is information on two (2) drone crashes that occurred in the state of Georgia - one in 2009 and one in 2012. Both incidents involved Hunter (MQ-5B) drones owned by the Army

(See the full online database of crashes on the Washington Post website for full details of these and other drone crashes.)

Date: April 10, 2009
Location: Wright Army Airfield, Hinesville
Estimated damage: $2,265,299  
Details:A Hunter (MQ-5B) owned by the Army crashed . . . .

Date: January 10, 2012
Location: undisclosed GA location
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Hunter (MQ-5B) owned by the Army crashed . . . .

Related posts



Ten (10) drone crashes occurred in the state of California alone between the years 2004 and 2011.

(See California: Is the Sky Falling? )







A drone crash in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay was one of the first incidents to bring crashes by military drones to the attention of the American public.


(See Maryland Drone Crashes: The Other Shoe Drops )


Numerous drone crashes in and off the coast of Florida have been associated with training at Tyndall Air Force Base.

(See Drone Crashes Pile Up In and Near Florida )

Massive anti-drone action today at Georgia Tech!

SOA Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois, Field Organizer Maria Luisa Rosal, our newest Council member Kevin Moran, and long-time SOA Watch activist Irene Rojas DeCambias have walked 120 miles from Fort Benning, Georgia to Atlanta, Georgia, to call attention to the SOA, drone warfare, and the persecution of immigrants. Learn more about the walk on  facebook and on SOAW.org.

The School of the Americas and the use of killer drones are both part of a broader system of militarism. The school and the remote control killing are not aberrations of US foreign policy, but clear examples of it.

The Right to Peace Walk concludes today at Georgia Tech, where millions of Pentagon dollars fund research into further development of killer drones to be used in wars, often undeclared, with civilian populations too many times the victims.

The Walk began April 26 at Ft. Benning, site of the School of the Americas where for decades Latin American troops have been trained in counter-insurgency and population control methods that have been used aginst peasants, indigenous people, union members, students, faith and community leaders seeking equity and justice. The base is also now a testing site for killer drones.

US militarism in all its forms exacts an unbearable price on the human rights not just of the people of this country where education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and so much more are sacrificed to pay for the policies of endless war.

It is the people of the world who bear the brunt of death and injuries in the millions, the loss of homes and workplaces, the destruction of land and water resources and the misery of displacement.

Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition demands a complete and total ban on the research, development, manufacture, testing and use of killer drones

For More information check out the following link http://georgiapeace.org/georgia-peace-justice-walk. You can livestream today's event at the the WFRG Labor Forum.

The Spring Days of Drone Action are in full swing! CLICK HERE to learn more.

Join the Georgia Peace and Justice Walk

Join SOA Watch's Field Organizer Maria Luisa Rosal and SOA Watch's newest Council member Kevin Moran on the "Right to Peace" walk from Fort Benning, Georgia to Atlanta, Georgia. 

The 120 mile "Right to Peace” walk will culminate with a rally at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, to draw attention to the connection concerning the research and development of the next generation of autonomous killer drones by Georgia Tech; their partnership with the Maneuver Battle Lab at Fort Benning, where Georgia Tech conducts drone flight testing, and the training of Latin America's police, and military forces at Ft. Bennings School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) in the use of the tools and tactics of oppression. SOA Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois will participate in the kick off rally at the gates of Fort Benning, as well as in the protest at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. 

If you are interested in participating in the march, or for more information, please email Kevin at kevin@soaw.org.

Goals of the walk – The Right to Peace

Raise public awareness to inspire specific calls to action by attracting mass media exposure to:

Call for an immediate moratorium on the research and development of autonomous drones by Georgia Tech as recommended by the U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions, Christof Heyns.

Call for an immediate closure of the SOA, a U.S. military training school for Latin American security personnel located at Ft. Benning, GA, by demanding congressional support of passage of H.R. 2989 the Latin American Military Training Review Act – the bill to suspend and investigate the School of the Americas.

Georgia Peace and Justice Walk: The Right to Peace
April 26- May 3
From Ft. Benning to GA Tech

The Right to Peace Walk Schedule & Outline

Saturday, April 26: Mass Rally at Noonat the Gate to Ft. Benning, Featured Speaker: Father Roy Bourgeois, Walk begins 1 PM to Flatrock Park, Columbus, Georgia 

Sunday, April 27: Alterna Community Forum, LaGrange, Georgia. Walk begins at EL Refugio, Lumpkin to Stewart Detention Center

Monday, April 28: Walk begins at LaGrange to Hogansville

Tuesday, April 29: Walk begins at Hogansville to Newnan

Wednesday, April 30: Walk begins at Newnan to Peachtree City

Thursday, May 1: Walk begins at Peachtree City to Jonesboro

Friday, May 2: Walk begins at King Center, Atlanta to Federal Prison, Georgia State University, Georgia State Capitol Press Conference, Atlanta City Detention Center, ICE Building Immigration Court, Federal Prison 

Saturday, May 3: Walk begins at Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Atlanta to GA Tech 2:00–3:30 Mass Rally with feature speakers: Father Roy Bourgeois, Medea Benjamin, renowned activist from CodePink, as well as Azadeh Shahshahani, President, National Lawyers Guild; National Security/Immigrants' Rights Project Director, ACLU of Georgia.

More information about the walk will be posted at Georgia Peace

The Spring Days of Drone Action are just beginning! Click Here to learn more about actions happening nationwide!

Spring Days of Drone Action 2014