Anwar al-Awlaki has vowed to kill Americans. He is tied to al Qaeda and urges his followers to fight the Devil. The U.S. considers him dangerous.
Anwar al-Awlaki is an American citizen, born in New Mexico. Yet the Obama administration is seeking to incinerate him with a drone attack in Yemen, his hiding place.
The argument for his “offing” is obvious: he has turned against his country and sided with our sworn enemies. He seeks our destruction. Thus, authorities believes Awlaki deserves assassination.
However, there is another side to this “obvious” solution. Americans have loathed this termination action when done to us. Our constitution guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Thus there seem to be a limit to what we are allowed to do to an American no matter how horrible his actions.
A lead editorial in the Nov. 10, 2010 issue of the Los Angeles Times summarizes the argument: “One difference between the United States and al Qaeda…is that in this country, we live under the rule of law….”
What is your view? Is the Obama administration right in its position? Or is Awlaki be shielded from termination by his American-born status? In this position, he should be hauled into court and tried as a danger to his own country and receive the punishment due him. This is more the American way.
