Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
The American Muslim cleric who had become a powerful al-Qaeda recruiter for the West, though his compelling preaching and internet videos, was killed. Even though he was American, President Obama had authorized his killing:
On Friday, al-Awlaki was killed in the mountains of Yemen in what local officials said they believed was an American airstrike. The officials said pilotless drones had been seen circling the area in recent days.
According to American officials, the 40-year-old al-Awlaki had over the years moved from being an influential mouthpiece for al-Qaida's ideology of holy war against the United States to become an operational figure, helping recruit militants for al-Qaida's branch in Yemen, seen as the most dangerous direct threat to America.
Seems to me this is pretty big news. Al-Awlaki was a very bad dude who had ties with almost all of the terrorists who have attacked Americans and American interests.
The New York Times reports that al- Awlaki had been killed in an American attack by a drone aircraft firing a Hellfire missile.
As positive a development as the removal of al-Awlaki is, I have my concerns about the killing of an American citizen by executive order without due process. What do you all think?
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Jul '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Ah the neoconservative folly of trying to change human nature.
Oh, this particular cockroach was important and wily!
There's ten others behind the wall waiting to be King Cockroach.
Unless we're out to kill the culture that breeds these people, we'll be forever trying to stamp out cockroaches. And we're definitely not trying to kill the culture.
We've been trying to get rid of pirates, the mafia, and terrorists in their various forms from time immemorial. But now we can do it right!
If that doesn't sound like every liberal boondoggle to eradicate poverty, racism, and achieve social justice, I don't know what does.
Feb '11
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
'Citizenship' didn't seem to matter much to him when he chose his side.
Sep '11
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Mollie,
Two thoughts: first, the authorities have thought they managed to kill al-Awlaki with drone strikes on a couple of previous occasions. I think it might be prudent to wait until a couple of Navy corpsmen dump the remains of his body into the Indian Ocean before the celebrations begin.
Second, al-Awlaki was dealt with (we can only hope) under common law that dates back for thousands of years. He was a leader in outlawry--a brigand. (Had he been afloat, he would be a pirate.) The rules of war pertain to organized militaries of nations. The rule of law applies to people who live under the law. Al-Awlaki consciously chose to become an outlaw--in every sense of the term. He is entitled to no more protection from the American courts than Blackbeard.
In these difficult fiscal times, though, there is a question of money. Should Al-Awlaki's family sue the U.S. government over his death, I would hope that the feds counter-sue for the cost of hunting him down.
May '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
We are at war, declaration or not. There was no question over his treasonous activity.
"Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
"Americans are asking, 'How will we fight and win this war?' We will direct every resource at our command -- every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence and every necessary weapon of war -- to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network."
--George W. Bush, September 20, 2011
Obama's continued use of the Bush Doctrine is one of the few positive things I have seen from his presidency.
PS..is it time Congress issued a Letter of Marque against Al Qaida?
Edited on Sep 30, 2011 at 6:00amAug '11
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
I guess it's strange of me to post saying "I don't know," but I really don't know how to think about this. In general, I'm going to be reserved and deferential to the US military and their lawyers-- for this reason-- I'm pretty sure the Obama admin and the relevant parties looked at this very hard to before doing it.
My guess is they found grey areas in the law that was subject to much discretion, and they probably got some very smart people to write thought out opinions giving them lee-way to act in this particular circumstance. I wonder if this will remind anyone of the water-boarding controversy?
It's strange to be "hopeful" over someone's death, but I do hope the strike helps our operations in the region.
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
But does it matter to us?
Dec '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Not sorry in the least to see him gone, just like Bin Laden. That said, I'm wondering if we're walking down a proverbial slippery slope. Making the decision to send a strike team in to kill OBL was fine by me. The next step for the President is now to authorize killing Al-Awlaki. He is a US citizen, but a very bad one who is aiding and abetting the enemy.
But what is the next step? Does it proceed to, say, authorizing the assassination of one of the heads of the Cali Cartel? Then where? Maybe a foreign crime boss in the US? Then maybe a domestic crime boss in the US?
Good riddance to the scum, but I just worry where this is headed.
May '11
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Fist pump! High five! A shouted YES!!!
He was a traitor to the USA. He was an avowed enemy. He committed acts of war against the USA. By doing these things, he renounced his citizenship. This is what happens (or should happen) to our violent enemies.
Sep '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Due process in war? Or are we in a police action? I say we're in the former, and there's no way to prosecute war without getting your hands bloody.
Dec '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights"
Rights are endowed by the Creator, not by citizenship. If we can do this to a non-citizen, we can do it to a citizen.
Sep '11
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
There was an interesting op-ed in the NYT about this--I had to spend some time digging in Google to find it, but here's the article: "Piracy is Terrorism"
I highly recommend it--terrorism and piracy are not the actions of nation-states. They are acts of outlawry. Become an outlaw, and you lose any claim to protection by the law. May God have mercy on your soul (because, as the old joke goes, we will not).
Jun '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
It's good to own the sky.
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Keith Preston: We are at war, declaration or not. There was no question over his treasonous activity.
"Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
"Americans are asking, 'How will we fight and win this war?' We will direct every resource at our command -- every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence and every necessary weapon of war -- to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network."
--George W. Bush, September 20, 2011
Obama's continued use of the Bush Doctrine is one of the few positive things I have seen from his presidency.
PS..is it time Congress issued a Letter of Marque against Al Qaida? · Sep 30 at 5:57am
Edited on Sep 30 at 06:00 am
Except that President Bush never authorized the killing of an American citizen without a trial. He did permit eavesdropping without due process but killing seems to me to be much worse.
May '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Well, it would be a war crime if the Bush administration had done it.
Still, I think Pilli above has it right - he effectively renounced his citizenship and led a fight against the U.S. Death is the penalty for treason.
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Another American was killed in the strike, too. Samir Khan.
Dec '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
If Benedict Arnold had been killed in battle after he turned on us would that be any different?
Dec '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
Being killed in battle and being assassinated are two different things entirely.
May '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
I'll leave the legal concerns of killing an American citizen overseas without due process to John Yoo and Richard Epstein.
Hey, can we send a drone over Berkeley to "look in on" the freed "Iran hikers"? Just asking.
May '10
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
The neoconservative idea is to change human nature? Really? How so?
Re: Anwar Al-Awlaki Killed by U.S.
John Murdoch: Mollie,
Second, al-Awlaki was dealt with (we can only hope) under common law that dates back for thousands of years. He was a leader in outlawry--a brigand. (Had he been afloat, he would be a pirate.) The rules of war pertain to organized militaries of nations. The rule of law applies to people who live under the law. Al-Awlaki consciously chose to become an outlaw--in every sense of the term. He is entitled to no more protection from the American courts than Blackbeard.
In these difficult fiscal times, though, there is a question of money. Should Al-Awlaki's family sue the U.S. government over his death, I would hope that the feds counter-sue for the cost of hunting him down. · Sep 30 at 5:55am
Well put.