Obama's Hit List?

[sleepy1212]

In late January, I wrote about the Obama administration's "presidential assassination program," whereby American citizens are targeted for killings far away from any battlefield, based exclusively on unchecked accusations by the Executive Branch that they're involved in Terrorism. At the time, The Washington Post's Dana Priest had noted deep in a long article that Obama had continued Bush's policy (which Bush never actually implemented) of having the Joint Chiefs of Staff compile "hit lists" of Americans, and Priest suggested that the American-born Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was on that list. The following week, Obama's Director of National Intelligence, Adm. Dennis Blair, acknowledged in Congressional testimony that the administration reserves the "right" to carry out such assassinations.


Article: Glenn Greenwald (http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/07/assassinations)

Videos:
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So let me get this straight, we can kill terrorists without due process only if they are Americans - but if they aren't Americans then we give them expensive lawyers and try them in NY?

[sdavis117]

It doesn't depend on whether or not they are a citizen that we try them, it depends on whether or not we have them in custody, and if we don't, whether or not they are a present danger to the security of the US.

I doubt this even started under Bush. This has probably been going on for decades.

[SnaFuBAR]

this is called wetwork and has been going on forever.

no surprise, honestly.

[rossmum]

I love how literally everything is suddenly OBAMA despite the fact this shit has, in fact, been going on forever.

[Dwood]

I love how literally everything is suddenly OBAMA despite the fact this shit has, in fact, been going on forever.

By almost every country.

[Cojafoji]

This surprises you? Like snaf said, it's been going on forever.

[sleepy1212]

No, no...the assassination part is no surprise.

What bothers me is this huge double standard. On one hand we have people like Napolitano who think citizens pose the greatest threat whilst our president authorizes assassinations of them - on the other those same people deny terrorism exists and play down the motives and goals of real terrorists. I'm not saying Awlaki isn't guilty but if we can give non-citizens due process why not citizens. Why did they make such a big deal out of the 9/11 guy's rights and not these other people?

Not only that but Obama himself made objections to the Patriot Act claiming Bush would do the same exact things. Turns out to be true so where's his moral objection now?


It doesn't depend on whether or not they are a citizen that we try them, it depends on whether or not we have them in custody, and if we don't, whether or not they are a present danger to the security of the US.

I was under the impression they could have captured this guy a long time ago and only recently "declared" him a threat. Even still, if he can be assassinated isn't it reasonable to assume capture isn't out of the realm of possibility? Given the uproar about captured terrorist's rights shouldn't they be even more willing to attempt to capture Awlaki?

[sdavis117]

I was under the impression they could have captured this guy a long time ago and only recently "declared" him a threat. Even still, if he can be assassinated isn't it reasonable to assume capture isn't out of the realm of possibility? Given the uproar about captured terrorist's rights shouldn't they be even more willing to attempt to capture Awlaki?

Call me back when unmanned drones gain the ability to capture people.

[Cojafoji]

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It's not hard to add a tranquilizer dart launcher and then dispatch a patrol car.

Just sayin'.

[sleepy1212]

ya'll just went full retard :gonk:

[rossmum]

not really

[sleepy1212]

drones have nothing to do with capturing him. assassinating him sure, but not capturing. That's like using B17's to save Dresden.

[paladin]

/Bourne Identity

[Bodzilla]

im being trolled arnt i.


seriously.

[Dwood]

Someone lock this thread please, it's not going anywhere, and it's definitely not going to get better.

[sleepy1212]

Early last month, the ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights were retained by Nasser al-Awlaki, the father of Obama assassination target (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/world/middleeast/07yemen.html?hp) (and U.S. citizen) Anwar al-Awlaki, to seek a federal court order restraining the Obama administration from killing his son without due process of law.

Article (http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/08/03/awlaki/index.html)

[Siliconmaster]

Okay, that really is a load of bullcrap. Regardless of the administration, forcing people to apply for permission to gain access to their constitutional rights is insane. I don't care if they're loaded with explosives. The constitution is the constitution. Start ignoring that and there goes any moral high ground we had. I mean, sure, it's probably common practice in governments for taking out threats. But it's still bull.