A missile from an American drone, in Yemen, reportedly has killed American born, al-Qaeda affiliate, Anwar al-Awlaki.
Background on al-Awlaki:
Anwar al-Awlaki was a radical American-born Muslim cleric who became a leading figure in Al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen. He died there on Sept. 30, 2011; an official in Washington said he was killed by a missile fired from an American drone aircraft.
Mr. Awlaki had been perhaps the most prominent English-speaking advocate of violent jihad against the United States, with his message carried extensively over the Internet. His online lectures and sermons had been linked to more than a dozen terrorist investigations in the United States, Britain and Canada. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had exchanged e-mails with Mr. Awlaki before the deadly shooting rampage on Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. Faisal Shahzad, who tried to set off a car bomb in Times Square in May, 2010, cited Mr. Awlaki as an inspiration.
The Obama administration had taken the rare step of authorizing the targeted killing of Mr. Awlaki, even though he was an American citizen — a step that had provoked lawsuits and criticism from human rights groups. He had survived at least one earlier missile strike from an American military drone.
That is the news.
The reactions to the news are the real story here as liberals are insisting that joining al-Qaeda and being their mouth piece, encouraging Jihad and the killing of innocent Americans, etc.. are all forms of free speech and al-Awlaki should not have been targeted and killed like any other terrorist because he was a terrorist born in America.Worse yet, they will even acknowledge and admit that al-Awlaki's influence over al-Qaeda's propaganda operations is "undisputed", further admitting that al-Awlaki's message was "Muslims have an obligation to attack the perfidious United States". They'll admit all of that and at the same time as stating ""It would also mean that the Obama administration assassinated an American citizen without due process of law."
Liberal Reactions
Sean Paul Kelley at The Agonist:
What we've witnessed with Awlaki's death is the first official assassination based on a citizen practicing his First Amendment rights....
Glenn Greenwald at Salon:
After several unsuccessful efforts to assassinate its own citizen, the U.S. succeeded today (and it was the U.S.). It almost certainly was able to find and kill Awlaki with the help of its long-time close friend President Saleh, who took a little time off from murdering his own citizens to help the U.S. murder its. The U.S. thus transformed someone who was, at best, a marginal figure into a martyr, and again showed its true face to the world. The government and media search for The Next bin Laden has undoubtedly already commenced.
David Dayen at Firedoglake:
Yes, “controversial” is a nice, anodyne word for the assumed right of the government to play judge, jury and executioner of a US citizen.
We’ll hear this was necessary because of Awlaki’s operational role, and his part played in the Fort Hood massacre and the Christmas Day bombing attempt. In reality, many experts saw Awlaki as a public figurehead, a man who could speak in front of a video camera and therefore was magnified in the US public’s mind as some sort of leader. He was a guy with a YouTube account rather than an operational leader of Al Qaeda.
myiq2xu at Crawdad Hole calls it "Execution without trial"
This does bring about a couple questions about what liberals would have preferred Obama to do?
Risk our military's lives to arrest al-Awlaki and interrogate him on his knowledge of further plots against the United States, put him in Gitmo (or Bagram)and leave him there for years on end before setting up a military tribunal?
Oh wait! What am I thinking?
Liberals believe terrorist should have the right to remain silent (Miranda warning) about their knowledge of further terror plots against the United States. Liberals believe that authorities should ask terrorists nicely, "pretty please, tell us what you know about further plots" after being read the Miranda warning. Liberals want Gitmo shut down. Liberals want terrorists tried in civilian courts that are set up for domestic crimes and not terror related crimes, instead of military tribunals.
There is absolutely nothing reasonable Obama could have done here differently that would have satisfied the far left liberals, he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.
It is not often readers will hear me defending Barack Obama. I disagree with almost all his social policies and believe he is systematically destroying this country.
In this instance though, the death of al-Qaeda affiliate Anwar al-Awlaki was handled exactly as it should have been and I say good riddance to bad rubbish.
Kudos.
Related:
You can run but not hide.