The Obama administration’s decision to authorize the killing by the Central Intelligence Agency of a terrorism suspect who is an American citizen has set off a debate over the legal and political limits of drone missile strikes, a mainstay of the campaign against terrorism.
The notion that the government can, in effect, execute one of its own citizens far from a combat zone, with no judicial process and based on secret intelligence, makes some legal authorities deeply uneasy.
To eavesdrop on the terrorism suspect who was added to the target list, the American-born radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who is hiding in Yemen, intelligence agencies would have to get a court warrant. But designating him for death, as C.I.A. officials did early this year with the National Security Council’s approval, required no judicial review.
“Congress has protected Awlaki’s cellphone calls,” said Vicki Divoll, a former C.I.A. lawyer who now teaches at the United States Naval Academy. “But it has not provided any protections for his life. That makes no sense.”
Administration officials take the view that no legal or constitutional rights can protect Mr. Awlaki, a charismatic preacher who has said it is a religious duty to attack the United States and who the C.I.A. believes is actively plotting violence. The attempted bombing of Times Square on May 1 is the latest of more than a dozen terrorist plots in the West that investigators believe were inspired in part by Mr. Awlaki’s rhetoric.
Read More: By Scott Shane, NYT
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Since the great Obummer generally hates Americans anyway, and protects anyone who is NOT Christian, and who IS Anti-American, it really makes you wonder what this guy KNOWS that 'bummer doesn't want publicized…don't it?
Who cares! A terrorist is a terrorist, no matter where he was born or what country he claims allegience to! Kill the bastard. This is one thing that the potus got right, the only thing so far! If the people in this country weren't such spineless sheeple, this guy would have been arrested for treason and scheduled for the death penalty!
Why is the potus using a Conn. ss number? Just a little food for thought!
If it's o.k. to kill this guy, what's to keep Obama from sanctioning you?