I’ve said I was going to lay off Obama until he had a chance to get settled in the job. I was easy on Bush until Iraq. But, fair is fair. Today, in the NY Times, it was reported that Obama issued a GW Bush like Executive Order calling for the killing of a US Citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki. In effect, an Old West Wanted Poster, Dead or Alive.
I’m disappointed that I have to write this as I believed Obama had some grasp of the meaning of “rule of law” due to his education. But I guess it’s necessary to point out that this order is pretty much equivalent to murder and goes far beyond the powers a Presidential Administration should even think about, yet alone exercise. If this was Bush (I’m beginning to wonder on a number of these types of boneheaded moves if it’s simply a carry forward of the last administration) I would excoriate him for taking such a stance.
Well Mr. Obama, it’s your turn in the barrel. Al-Awlaki is a bad guy, I’ll stipulate that. But independent of his action, he is a citizen and should be accorded due process, charged with Treason perhaps? And then given a chance to defend himself as a citizen of the United States of America. That’s what we’re supposed to stand for. That’s the oath you swore, to defend and uphold the Constitution. You’re failing to do so in this case and if this order were to be carried out, you should face the full force of the law as a consequence.
Do yourself and the rest of the country a favor, stay out of the cowboy business. It’s not befitting a President. Try fulfilling some of your campaign promises: Close Gitmo, Exit Iraq, Wind down Afghanistan, and put some focus on the home front. In case you haven’t noticed, our country could use some attention and leadership…….Back to my vacation. Yuck, I hate this stuff – it sucks to see.
I’m torn on this one. If the guy had a gun pointed at someone’s head he’d be legally taken down. He’s been implicated in multiple killings already (as he was one of the key motivators for the Ft. Hood shootings).
Yet, even the worst gangsters got taken in and put on trial.
This is fairly academic, since Yemen isn’t going to touch him, but the precedent is not to my liking.