“On August 1 [2001], the Deputies Committee met again to discuss the armed Predator [unmanned probe]. They concluded that it was legal for the CIA to kill Bin Ladin or one of his deputies with the Predator. Such strikes would be acts of self-defense that would not violate the ban on assassinations in Executive Order 12333 [of December 4, 1981].”
– 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Commission Report, Pages 211-212