WTH? This is WAR people, the man is a traitor to his country and traitors are the lowest of the low. If you get a shot you take it. The life you save may be yours or your family.
Oh you mean "the war on terror"? Because this guy is not in Iraq. He is not in Afghanistan or even Pakistan. He is allegedly a member of Al Qaeda- he denies this. He's probably lying, but it seems that's what court is for.
So far as I can tell he has not taken up arms against his nation. John Walker Lindh did. He is serving 20 years in prison. Not even he was executed without trial. I don't doubt this guy hates America and speaks ill of it. But that isn't a crime worthy of execution.
As far as I can tell, al-Awlaki has exchanged emails with the Fort Hood nutjob who also attended some of his sermons. Three 9-11 hijackers also attended some of his sermons. There were also contacts between al-Awlaki and the underpants bomber, who claimed that the former trained him. His offenses- correct me if I'm wrong- seem to be speech and perhaps conspiracy.
What you and probably most Americans are saying is "my government (whom incidentally I personally don't trust to deliver the mail) tells me someone is a terrorist because of unpopular speech, and even though he is an American citizen and has constitutional rights to said speech and due process, he should be killed."
I think this guy is a bad person living in a religious fantasy
world and if he is guilty of conspiring against his country, he should be brought to trial. If he takes up arms against his countrymen then by all means shoot and kill him. But so far as I can see, he has not killed anyone. He has committed unpopular speech and is guilty by his associations. Fine. Haul him to court.
The problem with this whole scenario should be obvious. Right now our government is targeting a muslim anti-American overseas. No one gives a hoot about his rights.
But what about when a white guy from Alabama joins a militia, shoots guns (legally) and dresses up in camo on weekends, then attends some Tea Party Rallies? Then when the government is wiretapping his calls without a warrant (as is their right in modern America) they hear him say some pretty anti-government stuff. Then he attends some meeting with other like minded individuals, where he makes some very vitriolic statements about Barack Obama that some would label "inciting violence" and wouldn't you know it, one of them goes nuts a month later and flies a plane into a government building...
Is this guy a criminal? If so, does he get a trial? Of course, right now, this guy is probably safe. But what about in ten years? We have authorized a heavy surveillance state and have set the precedent that executing American citizens based on speech and alleged conspiracy without due process is the right of a president.
Obama the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is authorizing the unprecedented execution of American citizens without due process by unmanned drones. Interesting times.
