Should Anwar al-Awlaki be the subject of targeted killing by the United States government?

Hell no! Political assassinations are morally bankrupt and have no legitimate place in a Democratic society, no matter how bizzare, scary or radical a person's beliefs and public statements are. They are an indisputable violation of International law and basic human rights. This list amounts to nothing more than the sanction of extrajudicial killings of U.S. Citizens and if carried out would be an act of first-degree murder, not "counter-terrorism". If Anwar al-Awlaki or anyone else on this list is indeed assassinated, whoever authorized the doctrine of "targeted killing" ought to be arrested, brought before the International Criminal Court and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The ACLU and the CRC will appeal this vigorously, because freedom can't protect itself, and no one is above the rule of law.

67.142.172.24 (talk)00:56, 11 December 2010

"This list amounts to nothing more than the sanction of extrajudicial killings of U.S. Citizens" Anwar al-Awlaki is the only US citizen on the list, which is why he's generated interest.

This isn't about his statements or beliefs, which "do not meet the threshold" for addition to the list. It's only when they can be considered a military target, with access to weapons and an intent to use or distribute them, that they become subject to "targeted killing." For example, one of the successfully killed targets was an al-Qaeda explosives supplier. The US has been doing this under both Bush and Obama (Obama being the one to authorize Anwar to be added, despite being a US citizen) with the cooperation (publicly known or otherwise) of the countries in which the targeted killings take place.

Fishy c (talk)02:51, 11 December 2010

I thought this would be a lively, controversial discussion. :(

Fishy c (talk)00:43, 14 December 2010