Letter: Drone killings can cut both ways

A U.S. drone missile may have killed two dangerous terrorists ["Ally of al-Qaida grew up on LI," News, Oct. 7], but the drone can be a two-edged weapon.

In the first place, the drone cannot identify that it is targeting the right person. Nor does it check out which other people may also be killed in the attack.

It appears that someone finds the target and calls in the location for the drone. What guarantee is there that this call is accurate?

Second, these drone attacks are all done in secrecy. There is no way for members of the public to check on the criteria for putting a name on the list to be assassinated, and no way for the target to present evidence of his innocence.

Third, what safeguards are there to prevent someone using a drone attack for a private vendetta? Against a girlfriend who jilted him or a business partner or a rival presidential candidate? When things go wrong, it is not likely that Congress or the press or the American people are going to be told about it.

Eleanor Krebs, Farmingdale