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Ex-CIA Director Hayden floats drone death panel

Former Central Intelligence Agency Director Michael Hayden suggested in an interview broadcast Sunday that the U.S. Government should have a blue-ribbon panel that examines drone policy and the use of lethal strikes aimed at killing individuals.

"I don't think it's a court, but some sort of review, a commission named by the president and Congress that doesn't get in the chain of command, but reviews drone operations and reports to both of the political branches with very prominent and trustworthy Americans," Hayden said on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" program.

Hayden's suggestion comes after some prominent political figures, such as Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) endorsed the idea of a Judicial Branch court to approve drone strikes against Americans and former acting solicitor general Neal Katyal proposed a national security court within the Executive Branch to serve the same function.

Harman said on the same CNN program that judicial approval for drone strikes could be handled in the same way the courts approve surveillance of Americans suspected of terrorism or being agents of foreign governments.

"I think that framework could fit drone strikes," Harman said. "They should be very occasional, but they're necessary. And when they're necessary, not only Americans, [but] foreigners should be assured that America abides by the rule of law."

Hayden complained that a court passing on drone strikes would be getting into the core of functions he believes the Constitution allocates to the president.

"With regard to the drone courts, I'm personally not comfortable with that, putting a judicial body between the president and any of his operating forces. But we need to develop a mechanism that most of America feels comfortable about we're doing," the former CIA and National Security Agency director said.

Harman said she doubted a blue-ribbon panel would work out well.

"I worry about some kind of a commission. I don't know what training they would have. And the record on commissions is fairly bleak. Let's just start with Bowles-Simpson," she said.

Most of the proposals for drone-strike courts or extra layers of review have focused on the deliberate use of deadly force against Americans, rather than the broader use of drones against foreign nationals.