“While I agree it is wrong for the POTUS to order the asassination of a US citizen without judicial oversight, I don’t give a fig about what Al Qaeda thinks.”
Killing an enemy combatant on the field of battle where he is actively trying to kill more Americans is not an ‘asassination’.
Suppose this dude had not been an American citizen, would the actions taken been legal?
Killing an enemy combatant on the field of battle where he is actively trying to kill more Americans is not an ‘asassination’.
Suppose this dude had not been an American citizen, would the actions taken been legal?
There is no "field of battle" and Awlaki was not "actively trying to kill more Americans" at the time.
If he was shooting at our men and they returned fire killing him, fine.
But Awlaki is only known through videos and information we are told by Obama. We don't even know if he is actually tied to any terrorist acts.
If you think it is OK for the President to have a secret panel that can order your asassination, you are a fool.
I do not think we have to bring a US citizen back for trial, I think we can try them in abstentia.
There needs to be a check and balance on the President's ability to order the asassination of a US citizen.
All we ask is for the Executive Branch to go to the judicial branch and the legislative branch, present their intelligence and let it be agreed upon that the US citizen is an enemy combatant.
Awlaki did not just pop up yesterday. There has been plenty of time to make a case for his status change.
I think the evidence is there---IN THIS CASE---but we will never know because the whole decision was handled by the Executive Branch in secret.
That is not the type of power anyone wants in the hands of the POTUS.