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Government
Rand Paul: Show us the drone memos.
2014-05-13
[NYT] Anwar al-Awlaki was an American citizen who was subject to a kill order from Mr. Obama, and was killed in 2011 in Yemen by a missile fired from a drone. I don't doubt that Mr. Awlaki committed treason and deserved the most severe punishment. Under our Constitution, he should have been tried -- in absentia, if necessary -- and allowed a legal defense. If he had been convicted and sentenced to death, then the execution of that sentence, whether by drone or by injection, would not have been an issue.
Quite interesting Rand Paul would cite the al-Awlaki drone strike.
I disagree with the senator. Though legally an American citizen, Mr. al Awlaki was engaged in warring against the U.S., and deserved nothing more than to be shot as a spy. Which he was.
I think the Senator is right. Awlaki was indeed a traitor and I don't shed a tear at his demise: I recall being mighty pleased reading about his zappage. But there should have been a proceeding before-hand that declared him to be a traitor, to have forfeited his rights as an American citizen, and to be now an official enemy whom we could drone-zap without harming our collective conscience.

Presidents are not supposed to have the power to declare American citizens to be 'outlaws': that's there point of the Treason Clause in the Constitution, so that the executive could not do this the way an English King could.
Posted by:Besoeker

#5  al-Awlaki was reported to have been in contact with former MAJ Nidal Hasan in the internet. Hasan goes alakhbar and kills 13 soldiers at Fort Hood and next thing we know al-Awlaki is terminated.

I'd like to see the finding on al-Awlaki. Too many coincidence with this one.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-05-13 15:29  

#4  I don't necessarily approve of the president's behavior, but I think there's something many of you are missing. Awlaki "took up arms" against the US, and sided with a foreign power -- al-Qaida. That in my book makes him an enemy combattant, and legal cannon fodder. That's how we judged a dozen or so US citizens that willingly fought with Germany in WWII, and a few Japanese. THAT should have been the judgment against him, rather than his US citizenship.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2014-05-13 14:52  

#3   al-Awlaki got what he deserved but I agree that the constitutional due process should have been observed

agreed - and the Obama Regime and his sycophants need to have it permanently pinned to their chest that they were only too willing to perform the awful unconstitutional deeds they dreamed the Eeeeevil Boooosh and Darth Cheney were capable of
Posted by: Frank G   2014-05-13 14:48  

#2  al-Awlaki got what he deserved but I agree that the constitutional due process should have been observed. al-Awlaki was born in the USA so his citizenship cannot be revoked against his will. How hard would it have been for the Obama DOJ to get a conviction on charges of treason?
Posted by: Squinty   2014-05-13 13:25  

#1  Taliban Johnny was discovered among wounded and dead Taliban on the battlefield by an SF medic who heard him crying for help in English. He was given medical treatment and transported back to the U.S., to face charges in a court of law. GITMO is full on non-USCITS awaiting legal procedures of some sort.

The intentional and specific targeting of US Citizens is a horse of a different colour. I too would like to see the memo or finding related to al-Awlaki.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-05-13 11:39  

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