In 1793, a young French Republic created The Committee of Public Safety with a main role of protecting the republic against foreign attacks and internal rebellion. The rule of this committee, known in history as the Reign of Terror, remains one of the darkest periods of France.
In 2011, an old US, formed a secret panel to draft up a roster of names to include on the hit list as enemies of the state and, supposedly, the President of USA can only veto or approve those actions. However, this committee does not keep a record of their rulings and no laws exist that establish its operation procedure or existence whatsoever.
CIA-led drone strike in Yemen killed two American citizens, al-Awlaki and Khan. They were never formally charged with a crime or brought to trial. The secret committee decided that they had ties with al-Qaeda, connections to the September 11 terrorist attacks and put their names on the list. This creates a dangerous precedent that US Government can kill anyone it perceives as a threat, including its own citizens, without bringing them to trial.
In 1793, The Committee of Public Safety operated within certain rules. For example, they never executed anybody without trial. The Law of Suspects created revolutionary tribunals to try those suspected of treason against the Republic and punish those convicted with death at the Guillotine.
How long until US Government decides that journalists that are condemning its actions pose a threat and includes their name on "The List?" When journalist Camille Desmoulins, while strong supporter of the Committee at the beginning, turned his pen against the Committee of Public Safety, he promptly got arrested and, after a short trial, guillotined on April 5, 1794.
The wheel of time turns and somehow, it seems appropriate to end this with a quote from a Desmoulins's letter to his wife – "
I have dreamed of a Republic such as all the world would have adored. I could never have believed that men could be so ferocious and so unjust."