Posted on 04/07/2010 7:24:39 AM PDT by kristinn
In late January, I wrote about the Obama administration's "presidential assassination program," whereby American citizens are targeted for killings far away from any battlefield, based exclusively on unchecked accusations by the Executive Branch that they're involved in Terrorism. At the time, The Washington Post's Dana Priest had noted deep in a long article that Obama had continued Bush's policy (which Bush never actually implemented) of having the Joint Chiefs of Staff compile "hit lists" of Americans, and Priest suggested that the American-born Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was on that list. The following week, Obama's Director of National Intelligence, Adm. Dennis Blair, acknowledged in Congressional testimony that the administration reserves the "right" to carry out such assassinations.
Today, both The New York Times and The Washington Post confirm that the Obama White House has now expressly authorized the CIA to kill al-Alwaki no matter where he is found, no matter his distance from a battlefield. I wrote at length about the extreme dangers and lawlessness of allowing the Executive Branch the power to murder U.S. citizens far away from a battlefield (i.e., while they're sleeping, at home, with their children, etc.) and with no due process of any kind. I won't repeat those arguments -- they're here and here -- but I do want to highlight how unbelievably Orwellian and tyrannical this is in light of these new articles today.
Just consider how the NYT reports on Obama's assassination order and how it is justified:
The Obama administration has taken the extraordinary step of authorizing the targeted killing of an American citizen, the radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who is believed to have shifted from encouraging attacks on the United States to directly participating in them, intelligence and counterterrorism officials said Tuesday. . . .
American counterterrorism officials say Mr. Awlaki is an operative of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the affiliate of the terror network in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. They say they believe that he has become a recruiter for the terrorist network, feeding prospects into plots aimed at the United States and at Americans abroad, the officials said.
It is extremely rare, if not unprecedented, for an American to be approved for targeted killing, officials said. A former senior legal official in the administration of George W. Bush said he did not know of any American who was approved for targeted killing under the former president. . . .
"The danger Awlaki poses to this country is no longer confined to words," said an American official, who like other current and former officials interviewed for this article spoke of the classified counterterrorism measures on the condition of anonymity. "He’s gotten involved in plots."
No due process is accorded. No charges or trials are necessary. No evidence is offered, nor any opportunity for him to deny these accusations (which he has done vehemently through his family). None of that.
Instead, in Barack Obama's America, the way guilt is determined for American citizens -- and a death penalty imposed -- is that the President, like the King he thinks he is, secretly decrees someone's guilt as a Terrorist. He then dispatches his aides to run to America's newspapers -- cowardly hiding behind the shield of anonymity which they're granted -- to proclaim that the Guilty One shall be killed on sight because the Leader has decreed him to be a Terrorist. It is simply asserted that Awlaki has converted from a cleric who expresses anti-American views and advocates attacks on American military targets (advocacy which happens to be Constitutionally protected) to Actual Terrorist "involved in plots." These newspapers then print this Executive Verdict with no questioning, no opposition, no investigation, no refutation as to its truth. And the punishment is thus decreed: this American citizen will now be murdered by the CIA because Barack Obama has ordered that it be done. What kind of person could possibly justify this or think that this is a legitimate government power?
(Excerpt) Read more at Salon.com
Bottom Line folks?
Each and every FReeper participating in these forums, a right guaranteed by the First Amendment, is a potential target for the 0bamunist thugs, if any one of us is deemed to be a ‘terrorist’ due to our non-support of, and opposition to, this illegal regime in Washington.
If it were a Republican President, there would be a 24/7 frenzy from the lamestream media for a special prosecutor, articles of impeachment, and removal from Office.
Being that it is the Dear Comrade, and said media just cannot service the Kenyan Usurper enough, such policies will be silently condoned, and the liberal talking heads will look the other way.
False accusations can be made and evidence can be manufactured so that “anyone” can become an “unconvicted” criminal. THE bedrock of our Republic is the rule of law and the mandate that a “CITIZEN” be given a trial before his peers. Do you really want to give President Obama the right to kill anyone he deems (there is that word again) an enemy of the US. Really!!!
How long before, “Those who will not take the Mark, will be executed.” is heard coming from the White House?
Demonstrating his boldness while flying so squarely in the face of the Constitution is a raw show of power not seen on Earth in 65 years.
Without using due process, Zero's claim for such an authorization alone is a direct violation of the Constitution and impeachable. The trial deserves to be short.
HF
“I never thought I’d see members of FreeRepublic advocating for the rights of a terrorist imam”
The next step up from this is targeting a US citizen not in Afghanistan, identified as a dangerous enemy of the state by state decree. Sounds reasonable to target a dangerous imam overseas who happens to be a citizen, less reasonable to target a “terrorist” in West Virginia, but the logical and legal concepts points to being able to do just that.
I mean, imagine if Clinton or Bush I had targeted the dangerous terrorist Terry Nichols and authorized his death far from a battlefield, based on what he was planning and advocating. Lives would have been saved! Childrens lives! A drone in Prescott AZ could have taken him out as he was testing fertilizer mixes. What could be wrong with that?
The Feds said (during Bush’s term) that calling Islamic terrorists, ‘terrorists,’ was a bad thing and they changed it to ‘militant.’
Today I hear that ‘islamic radical’ is now a no-no word. But the Feds freely love to use the word ‘Christian terrorist’!
American Christians (and Jews) who speak the truth (which brings terror into the hearts of those in the District of Criminals) will be labeled terrorists and be subject to...’liquidation.’ Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Now that’s the regime change I can believe in!
“More pertinently, by waging war on us he is committing insurrection against the United States.”
I’m not sure if you knew this or not but the Left has been waging a covert war on America for the past 100 years or so. Now it will become a little more overt.
Perhaps on a bit of a tangent, or perhaps relevant — when did the “wanted, dead or alive” notices so notable in the old West finally disappear? And what brought about their disappearance? Is there some old, moldy, but unrepealed law that Obama has dredged back up? (Funny that Dinner Jacket should have called him a “cowboy.”)
They are very nasty, ugly and hateful people.
0bama could do anything and they would condone it and rationalize that it was justified in some warped way.
I guess so.
Unless... somehow Obama armtwisted the USSC into it?
Ziiiing! Not many people will recall Ruby Ridge.
BINGO!
We already know that Hassan(the Ft. Hood shooter) was involved with both Obama and this American iman. Obama is protecting himself from further revelations.
Sedition is Constitutionally protected?
Well, if he is still hiding but in communication somehow, there is a dreadful lot he could tell without showing his face.
“So when does the left LOSE IT, and demand Obama’s impeachment?
Or must there be an additional factor of Aggravated Unlicensed Republicanism in the Third Degree?”
And for that remark, Comrade, you name has been added to the “To Be Vaporized” list.
DOUBLEPLUSGOOD, heh?
Would like your input, sir.
Kill them with kindness?
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