As the article in the title link indicates, the White House has essentially ordered a hit out on Anwar al-Awlaki, the Muslim cleric in Yemen who's basically Bin Laden 2.0 - he preaches against America from Facebook & the web, and who seems to be the mastermind, or, at least, the inspiration, for the Ft. Hood killings and the Christmas Day underwear bomber.
The problem is Mr. al-Awlaki is an American citizen.
How is it that Khalid Sheik Muhammed, a foreign national, is going to be tried here in the US, but Anwar al-Awlaki, who was actually born in New Mexico, is apparently going to be killed on sight?
I'm very far from defending this guy's actions. But, at the end of the day, we're still supposed to be a nation of laws, not men.
If he's a citizen, he has the right to a trial by a jury of his peers. Period. I'm sure 12 Americans will have no problem sending this guy to the gas chamber if the evidence is as damning as the White House says it is.
Because where do we draw the line? How about these fools, the Hutaree: the radical Christian militia group that was plotting to assassinate cops at funerals in their bid to fight the anti-Christ? They're unquestionably terrorists. What's to stop the President from putting a hit out on their spiritual leaders? The only difference between them and Al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula is their mailing address.
What's to stop the government from sending out a kill order for YOU if they deem you to be a terrorist without a public trial?
This is bad, folks. And NO ONE is talking about it.
