There is nothing imminent as far as a concrete proposal to set up a secret legal process to decide whether the president can order a drone strike against an American citizen. But the idea is gaining traction in Congress and may be a compromise that would satisfy some civil libertarians and defense hawks alike. Reuters: While the idea of a judicial review of such operations may be gaining political currency, multiple U.S. officials said on Friday that imminent action by the U.S. Congress or the White House to create one is unlikely. The idea is being actively considered, however, according to a White House official. At Thursday's confirmation hearing for CIA director nominee John Brennan, senators discussed establishing a secret court or tribunal to rule on the validity of cases that U.S. intelligence agencies draw up for killing suspected militants using drones. The court could be modeled on an existing court which examines applications for electronic eavesdropping on...(Read Full Post)