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Killing Americans takes Obama into uncharted legal area
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lostrune2
There would be no impeachment. First, there's that sweeping post-9/11 law that kinda makes it legal unless challenged in court. Second, not enough votes from Congressmen --Democrats and Republicans-- would want to be re-elected by their constituents, most of whom are in favor of this (Ron Paul can say whatever he wants - he's retiring after his term).
CalvinMontblanc
Nobody hates America like those that disregard her Constitution.
I would like to see Obama impeached for this, even more than I did not want to see Clinton impeached for lying about his sex life.
Americans simply have no priorities these days. They would attack a mosquito in the house with a stick of dynamite.
unreconstructed
The Honorable Dr. Ron Paul has said impeachment is possible here;Obama has crossed a line.
unreconstructed
"By getting America to crap on her own Constitution, America has just displayed an image of weakness, and I think terrorists, both present and those thinking of becoming, will be encouraged by this rather than deterred."
Your point of view is narrow,uninformed and too Ameri-centric.Like you, 'Mr Bill', the terrorists hated America long before Obama took office.One targeted assassination makes little difference.
Serrano
Mr. Bill: "By getting America to crap on her own Constitution"
Where do you get this crap?
"You have a poll to back that up, or do you imagine you were elected spokesperson for the majority of the world?"
You're right, actually I don't in fact know if a majority of the people around the world are glad these terrorists are dead, the majority may in fact be saddened by this, lol.
Mr. Bill
Serrano said:
You have a poll to back that up, or do you imagine you were elected spokesperson for the majority of the world?
yabits
I believe it is indeed broader than that, as it can quickly be "adjusted" to add any other group deemed a terror threat.
Mr. Bill
Like your typical bully, some people cannot understand when a show of violence displays an image of strength and when it displays an image of weakness.
By getting America to crap on her own Constitution, America has just displayed an image of weakness, and I think terrorists, both present and those thinking of becoming, will be encouraged by this rather than deterred. The hell of it is that attacking such a government is a patriotic duty.
lostrune2
JapanGal, only if you want to do it for us.
Anyways, unfortunately or fortunately, there's a sweeping law passed just after 9/11 that effectively makes the at-war with al-Qaeda (and specifically al-Qaeda, not just any terrorist organization) and thus gives the U.S. government the legal greenlight to kill or capture al-Qaeda terrorists, regardless if he's an American citizen. It's the same law that's used to go inside Afghanistan and Iraq. That law is pretty broad and without definite end (how long will the war against al-Qaeda last?).
Since for all intents and purposes, no al-Qaeda terrorist would be brought to court in the U.S. under this law (and which U.S. court would even take it on behalf of al-Qaeda?), it's practically impossible to challenge the constitutionality of this law. Thus, as long as that law is in the books, it makes the U.S. action legal under the Constitution.
Ironically, if the U.S. government wants to bug the phone-lines of suspected al-Qaeda terrorists, the U.S. government would first need a court order allowing authorization. But if the U.S. government wants to kill those al-Qaeda terrorists, under this law, all the U.S. government needs is authorization from the President. This law gives broad powers, but continue unchallenged, it remains legal.
nath
Does this mean that we will have to take off our panties as well as our shoes for inspection at the air port?
JeremiahW
"U.S. President Barack Obama steered America’s war machine into uncharted territory Friday when a U.S. drone attacked a convoy in Yemen and killed two American citizens who had become central figures in al-Qaida."
Wonderful prose!
Serrano
I'm glad al-Awlaki and these other terrorists are dead, and so are the majority of people around the world.
johninnaha
NeverSubmit
Exactly.
Obama, in spite of having legal training and experience, seems to believe himself outside the law.
He's supposed to support human rights.
He doesn't seem to.
nath
There's a difference between being accused and being convicted.
Just become someone is on a government list doesn't mean they should be excecuted.
What if it's a case of mistaken identity? What if he was framed by somebody else?
There are endless possibilities, he deserves the right answer to the charges against him.
It's sad that so many people are so quick to judge others. Just be reading a newspaper article you think you know the truth. You don't know the truth, none of us do. That's why the constitution specifically states and everybody must receive a fair trial so the truth can be established.
Shiree McCarver
America is one of the few countries you can be born in and Considered American regardless of your race or loyalties. So it's not like we have high criteria of being an America. So what is the point of this article? There was no secret that this man was on America's most wanted list of terrorist and how many would have turned him in American or not for the award that was on his head if we had ran into him. Also do you think he cared about the innocent Americans they have blown up. He had a right to a trial all they had to do is turn themselves in. Somepeople rather die for what they beleive in no matter who supplies the bullet or the explosion. He didand maybe he's happy now. I can't wait to see who Americans blame it on when Obama is no longer president. I personally think he won to be America's scape goat.
johninnaha
An afterthought:
Did the drone only kill these two or were others involved too?
I can't see how a drone would only kill two people in a convoy.
johninnaha
How come it was OK to invade Pakistan and assassinate Bin Laden and it's not OK to do the same to Americans?
nath
Have criminals ever played by the rules?
Jared Norman
Any one who actively killing others is fair game
Steve Baker
Oh, yes, play by the rules while the enemy uses the rules against you.
miyazawa3
This time Mr president in a big trouble.
Frungy
Kahn seems to just have been exercising his constitutionally protected right to free speech, no matter how objectionable. This is most definitely a constitutional issue, because if someone can be marked fro death purely for editing a publication that makes statements in support of terrorism (note, editing, not necessarily saying anything themselves) then what's next, shooting people for criticising the president's financial policy? To say that there are "I can assure you that no constitutional questions are raised here." just shows how morally bankrupt the American Legal system really is. So much for an independent judiciary.
Mr. Bill
Yep. The same crime the American Founding Fathers committed against Great Britian. And ironically, we find ourselves looking more like the British of the past every day.
yabits
So, in the past 50 years or so, the United States hasn't ever caused any harm to innocent people in the world? Wow.
That's not how the cycle of violence operates. (Was there a good reason why we killed over a million Indo-Chinese?)
Yes. Capable of both good and evil.
John Constantine
I think its called Treason...no need for a public circus. Take another number from the dispenser..."Now Serving Number 5"..Now Serving.....No matter what Americans do these types will hate all that you stand for...equal rights...trying to live peacefully. I personally do not know any Americans that say "Hey lets go out and do some damage for no reason" Hate Americans if you want but most are just like anybody else...they provide for their families. We all love our children and when someone threatens their safety we take that seriously. I am not the least bothered by what happened. However I do know that there is always someone waiting in the wings to take the place of one that was eliminated. America will never please everyone and it will continue to take a beating anytime it carries out equal justice. I guess they should have spent millions and just let the taxpayers foot the bill for this guy to rot in jail.
yabits
Rather Orwellian isn't it?
I don't believe it's uncharted territory as the article claims, however. A number of nations have had assassination squads to eliminate people felt threatening to their interests or undesirable. The killing of Trotsky by agents of Stalin, for example. The assassination of Georgi Markov by agents of the Bulgarian government. The killing of Gerald Bull by Israeli agents. Multiple assassination attempts on Castro by the US. Lots of assassinations of local officials in Vietnam by US agents, as well as killings of key leaders of the Black Panther Party domestically.
Speaking as an American, who does the US president answer to on these types of activities?
Christina O'Neill
I guess they meted out the same form of justice they usualy reserve for non US citizens.
Bartholomew Harte
I simply want them Dead-War is hell and Anyone who is an Enemy of the U.S. is Fair Game, as far as i'm concerned.as for legal or not ,all is fair in love & war! A New Yorker .
nath
The government accused a man of a crime,
then they killed him.
It's cold-blooded murder and it's immoral, disgusting and unconstitutional.
Just because there are nasty articles written about him doesn't mean he is guilty of anything. He deserves due process, we all do. These man is innocent until proven guilty.
All the information we have about this case is heresay. If any JT reader has any first-hand evidence or proof about his guilt please come forward. And keep in mind that reading a newspaper article or watching a news report on TV doesn't count as proof or first-hand evidence.
This is a politically motivated killing of an innocent (until proven guilty) man. Is that not terrorism?
kurisupisu
@Raymasaki - please tell me what Al-Quaeda is! Where are the headquarters and who are the members? America has carried out an extra judicial killing on an American! Personally that strikes fear into me that America should give up the right to a trial for its own citizens.
Exactly what crime was carried out by Al-Awlaki? Where is the proof and where is the confession and due process?
The fact is that America can choose anyone to be a terrorist ,without proof and can impose a death sentence on them to be carried out anywhere in the world is a shocking turn of events! What if the Americans make a mistake in choosing a target?There are many what ifs-too many!
Wold it be acceptable for America to assassinate a Japanese in Tokyo ?
I shudder..............
I don't accept this arbitrary justice
Raymasaki
well they were a part of Alqaida, so they got what was coming to them. ANY person who supports Terrorism is a Fool. anyone asocieted with these groups are Terrorists. even if they are from America.