Who killed US born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki?

[malaise]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15121879
<snip>
The US-born radical Islamist cleric and suspected al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki has been killed in Yemen, the country's defence ministry reported.

Unnamed US administration officials confirmed the reports.

Awlaki, of Yemeni descent, has been on the run in Yemen since December 2007.

The US had named him a "specially designated global terrorist" for his alleged role in a number of attacks and US President Barack Obama is said to have personally ordered his killing.

[bluedave]

1. Good

[liberal N proud]

2. Targeting Terrorist might be the best deterrent to attacks against the US

Better than bombing the shit out of a country who willingly or unwillingly became infested with them.

A few well placed bullets is better than a million pounds of bombs.

[Windy]

3. Now they need to track down Al-Zawahiri. nt

[RZM]

12. LOL. Sounds familiar.

I think Ari Fleischer said that about Saddam. I also remember after he left the job he admitted he had been excoriated for saying it. ;)

[leveymg]

4. Way past his shelf life in the GWOT. Into the cutout bin.

The President was not pleased the underwear bomber got as far as the airspace over Detroit on Christmas Day. Even less so that the role of others in getting him onto that airplane, leading back to Awlaki (who was also involved in aiding the Flt. 77 hijackers, the Ft Hood shooter, and the Times Square bomber) was publicly revealed.

Lost his operational usefulness.

[Firebrand Gary]

5. Let's take a moment and remember the men and women we lost due to Major Hassan.

Hoping those families find comfort in the fact that he will not orchestrate another horrific shooting. Inspired or planned.

[druidity33]

6. no defense, no trial, on foreign soil...

just the word of our government that a "radical terrorist" has been eliminated, along with at least 4 other people, also "terrorists". I can't celebrate this. It is offensive...

[malaise]

7. Indeed n/t

[oneshooter]

9. Would you also find offensive the killing of Isoroku Yamamoto ordered

by FDR. "no defense, no trial, on foreign soil..."

[_ed_]

15. Stupid comparison

Awlaki is a citizen. Yamamoto was a leader in a foreign army we declared war upon.

What other Americans need to be assassinated without due process?

[oneshooter]

18. Awlaki was a leader of a foreign army that has declared war on the US.

And while he never took an active part, he planned many attacks on the US. Just as Yamamoto never took part in combat, he too was a planner of attacks on the US.

[_ed_]

19. What country's Army is Awlaki a member of?

Al Qaeda isn't an Army. Just like La Cosa Nostra isn't an Army. They're not-governmental organizations.

Your WWII example is utter crap. We have not declared war on anyone.

[oneshooter]

20. THEY declared war on us. Somewhat like the Japanese attack on pearl Harbor. n/t

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

11. I'm sure he was willing to go peacefully

By the way, interested in a bridge in Brooklyn?

[gratuitous]

16. "Offensive" is a decent beginning; "criminal" is more like it

But then, here in the United States, if enough people - or the right people - tell us that someone needs to die, we're perfectly okay with it. Al-Alawaki? Gone. Troy Davis? Gone. The four people reported to be traveling with Al-Alawaki? Gone. And we celebrate each and every death, because each one makes us safer or something.

[Odin2005]

8. Extrajudicial Killing is UN-AMERICAN!

[Bragi]

10. Yes, suspend our rights to protect our rights!

I can't believe that so many people are still in the thrall of the Bushian GWOT logic that says we must to suspend our liberties to protect our liberties.

[RZM]

13. It would have been nice to try him instead

But life ain't fair. He won't be missed.

[badtoworse]

14. What difference does it make?

[Bragi]

17. You mean if you uphold constitutional rights?

Yeah, I think it does matter.