One proposed solution to the current problems with the drone program is to shift it from being under Title 10 of the United States Code to Title 50 of the United States Code. Effectively, this means that the drone program would be housed by the Department of Defense instead of the Central Intelligence Agency. This would resolve some of the issues with drone legitimacy. (Note– The beginning of this article references a speech that Obama made and a previous proposed plan to shift the drone program. The shift was never followed through).
If the DoD had control over the drone program, there would be significantly more oversight attached to the program. The DoD has several mechanisms in place to ensure that the various abuses we use with drones now wouldn’t happen anymore. The DoD is also regulated a bit by Congress. That Congressional oversight would ensure that there has to be accountability for attacks and more legitimacy with the program.
Title 50 of the US Code also means that drones would be placed under the guise of traditional military activities, which means there would be more military oversight over the program as well. This is another area in which Congress would have more oversight over the program. It also means that if strikes were to be done in an offensive manner, military lawyers could get involved and there could be a lawsuit– a situation the government certainly doesn’t want to be in.
Title 10 to Title 50 shift would be a resolution to the drone issue that people from both sides of the debate can agree on.
Shock and Awe 