American Citizen, A CIA Target

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Anwar Al-Awlaki: An American Citizen, A CIA Target
May 18, 2010 12:00 pm

Once seen as a moderate Islamic cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki is now a jihadist hiding in Yemen, regarded as so dangerous that he reportedly is being targeted to be killed by the CIA. New York Times reporter Scott Shane explains how the American-born cleric has inspired attacks, including the recent Times Square car bombing attempt.

http://www.npr.org/templates/dmg/dmg_wmref_em.php?id=126906648&type=1&date=18-May-2010&mtype=WM

[NJmaverick]

1. Could best be described as waging war against the US

rather than hiding.

[tekisui]

2. One man is waging war against the US?

And, is he really that dangerous?

He has never set a bomb or killed anyone. He hasn't funded any killings or attacks either.

[NJmaverick]

3. More than one, but this one is an American citizen

which is certainly a rare happening. As for being dangerous, as the families of the victims of the Fort Hood shooting if he is dangerous.

[tekisui]

5. If I recall, it was another American citizen that was pulling the trigger.

Do you honestly think that if Hasan had not been encouraged by Awlaki, he wouldn't have carried out an attack?

[sabrina 1]

26. What did he have to do with the Fort Hood killings?

If you have a link to something that justifies that allegation, post it. You're the Liberal who claimed to believe in justice. Yet, here you are, taking the word of a government with a pretty bad record for truth-telling when it comes to 'terror', without a shred of evidence, and not even a question from you, asking for evidence. And evidence that is not elicited by torture for once would be nice.

[sandnsea]

6. That's what an arrest and trial is for

And in this country, when the police come to put you under arrest, you're supposed to just go. If you don't, they can shoot you.

So? Why should it be different for this guy?

[NJmaverick]

7. He is in a Country where there are no police capable of arresting him

although I would expect he is free to turn himself in for trial

[sandnsea]

10. That's why the CIA or FBI will attempt to arrest him

and yes he is free, and has a legal requirement as a US citizen, to turn himself in if there is an arrest warrant for him. You shouldn't expect to demand the protections of the constitution while disregarding the responsibilities.

[tekisui]

22. There will be no arrest attempt made. It will just be execution.

Without trial.

[sabrina 1]

24. You've got to be kidding. Turn himself in to the U.S., now infamous

for torturing people in order to force them to say what they want them to say?

We have other countries now issuing warrants for the arrests of OUR criminals, torturers. Shamefully this administration has refused to hold them responsible here, making it known that torture is condoned still, in this country.

Are you at all aware of how many 'terrorists' turned out to be innocent, after years of being demonized, tortured and sometimes murdered in U.S. controlled prisons, like the one we are running in Bahgram, still torturing people there?

Anyone who believes a leader of a country, ANY country, telling them 'this man is an enemy and deserves to die' without an open trial, scares me.

What evidence have you seen of the allegations against this person? Just the word of the president? What evidence that he should even be arrested? Have you learned nothing from the past terrible ten years?

This president shamefully, has given the go-ahead to assassinate a U.S. citizen. Assassination doesn't mean 'arrest' or 'trial', it means 'kill'.

No wonder this country is where it is today. Bush followers became blind when he was president, now it's Obama followers. You are throwing away ALL of our rights when you attempt to justify this.

[tekisui]

9. For one thing, it is an execution, not an attempt to capture.

I have never heard of a drone being able to capture an individual. Further, it is in another country, and is a military action-not a police action.

Not to forget that drone strikes cause civilian deaths. Is one alleged terrorist worth killing civilians? And if so, how many innocent lives are worth each individual we deem (without a trial) a terrorist?

[sandnsea]

13. If he can be captured, he will be

It's up to him whether he continues to hide or not. I don't know if a drone can hold a position until someone moves into capture. I don't think a suspect has ever surrendered.

[tekisui]

15. And the CIA is under no obligation, whatsoever,

to warn or seek to detain. They just kill because it is easier.

[sabrina 1]

19. And we have not waged illegal war against anyone?

Did you support those illegal wars that killed over one million innocent civilians in Iraq and tens of thousands in Afghanistan. Now we have moved on to Pakistan under this president.

Political assassinations are for dictatorships, NOT for democratic countries.

I'm sure, as a 'Liberal' YOU do not support them, do you?

Even Bush, as far as we know, did not order the assassination, based on allegations (and we know how many false allegations there have been in the past against so-called 'terrorists') of a U.S. citizen.

I thought you were a proponent of Liberal ideals, you know, justice and things like that, where everyone is entitled to face their accusers and defend themselves.

I do not for a minute accept what we have been told about this man. I want proof. That is what a Liberal would demand, PROOF before issuing a death sentence.

[sandnsea]

23. I'm a proponent of the truth, first last and always

The second someone says that there has been an assassination order, the truth has flown out the window.

That is not liberal.

Conflating Iraq and Afghanistan is another instance of truth flying out the window.

Many individuals are "targeted" for arrest and have not been tried. There is evidence against Awlaki, years of evidence.

http://www.sethhettena.com/2010/anwar-al-awlaki-timeline-revised/

And if a Republican were President, DU would actually be coming up with conspiracy theories as to why this guy's arrest warrant was cancelled in 2002.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/FtHoodInvestigation/anwar-awlaki/story?id=9200720

You can make your snide innuendos all you want, but it doesn't change on single fact including the fact that DU "liberals" are just as ideological as teabaggers.

[sandnsea]

4. It's capture or kill, not targeted to be killed

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0407/Anwar-al-Awlaki-Is-it-legal-to-kill-an-American-in-war-on-terror

Most dangerous fugitives from justice, in this country, can be killed if they don't surrender to authorities when an attempted arrest is made. See David Koresh.

[tekisui]

8. I wouldn't hold up Waco as a point of pride or reference.

The order is given with full knowledge that a capture is impossible. It is a kill order.

[sandnsea]

14. The point is procedure

And while I don't think Waco was necessary, it wasn't procedurally illegal or unconstitutional, except possibly if the military was involved.

Regardless, many of the same people who defend Waco would never defend it if it were in Iraq. And many of the people who would have no problem with a child molester being killed during the process of being captured, make exception to people who are plotting mass murder.

In other words, some people are either incapable of objectivity or else they're just plain nuts.

[sabrina 1]

25. Who said he is dangerous? How do you know this?

[WeDidIt]

11. So where's the problem?

:shrug:

[tekisui]

16. No due process, extra-judicial killings by non-combatants-the CIA and contractors.

[WeDidIt]

17. He's taken up arms against the U.S. in another country

There is absolutely no need for due process. He gave that up when he entered a war zone and sided with the enemy.

This is no different from German Americans who returned to the Fatherland to fight for Hitler. They were targeted and killed.

[tekisui]

18. I have never seen a report that he has taken up arms.

[WeDidIt]

20. Hes in Yemen where he's considered a leader in Al Queda

Boom.

I wish they'd just kill his ass now and be done with him.

He's no different from traitors who sided with Hitler.

[Forkboy]

12. Another example of somthing that would have freaked DU out had Bush done it.

[704wipes]

21. But Obama won't get any credit for being 'tough on terror'

even if we cap the guy.