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Anwar al-Awlaki deserves no praise, no honor. But no matter how beneficial to the safety and security of the United States his death is, the circumstances of it leaves us in a much darker place. The planned, calculated and targeted killing of an American Citizen abrous by the American government opens Pandora's box of nightmares.I do not doubt the government's claim that he perpetrated, assisted and inspired terrorist activities against the United States but at the time of his death he was not engaged in combat against American forces, he was not carrying out a terrorist attack and was not an imminent threat. Despite that, no attempt was made to capture and arrest, he was killed by remote control.
Can the United Stages government kill a U.S. Citizen without due process? If so, under what conditions and what criteria must be met?
According to President Obama, the answer to the first question is 'Yes We Can'. The justification by the Obama administration, more specifically the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, was that he was a 'terrorist'.But no due process is required in being found a terrorist either.
Republican representative Peter King's (New York) response was even more terrifying. "It was entirely legal. If a citizen takes up arms against his own country, he becomes an enemy of the country." King's assertion that he 'took up arms against his own country' is our constitutions definition of TREASON, a crime which a person must be CONVICTED of, meaning the application of DUE PROCESS. Would Rep King consider our founding fathers and the continental army terrorists?
A CBS analyst Juan Zarate said that the administration has been trying to make it clear that the killing was an act of 'self defense' and performed under the 'rules of self defense'. In contrast if I am attacked by my neighbor and I fear he may do it again tomorrow, I cannot kill him in his sleep and call it 'self defense'. He must be a present and imminent threat to my life.
I won't even touch on the debate over international laws on warfare which appear violated.
What does this mean for us in our future. Well it has been established that you can be marked as a terrorist secretly and without due process and by Defense Secretary Panetta's statements, be killed with no attempt to charge,arrest, try, or convict you of any crime nor submit any evidence to any court to obtain permission for such an order. Terrorism as defined by U.S. law is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives
By that definition, was Timothy McVeigh legally a terrorist? Most would say yes. Would a predator drone strike have been authorized on him?
To further add to the legal confusion, two others were killed in the strike including another American, NOT on the 'target' list. Two 'not-so-innocent' but also not charged or convicted bystanders killed for simply being with him at the wrong time. Suppose Timothy McVeigh picked up a hitch hiker, an unwitting family member or friend while the man hunt was on for him, would a drone strike STILL be legal?
Would WE allow another nation to target/ kill people on OUR soil SUSPECTED or ASSOCIATED with SUSPECTED terrorists?
Obama fought hard for constitutional rights and due process for Guantanamo detainees and though I disagreed that they should be extended to foreign combatants picked up on the battlefield, I THOUGHT he at least was acting in principal that no one should be denied due process and fair trials but as proven by this order, and the method used to accomplish it, it is evident that in HIS view the right to trial and due process does NOT apply to AMERICANS.
This is a dangerous precedent he has set. These questions, the limits of government power especially when it comes to revoking the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, NEED to be ANSWERED AND DEFINED. The ONLY way to accomplish this is to charge and try President Barrack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, CIA Director David Petraeus and anyone else involved in the authorization and implementation of carrying out this attack with MURDER.
