[ulw7A8Po]

By Ahmed Al-Haj
The Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen - In a significant new blow to al-Qaida, U.S. airstrikes in the mountains of Yemen on Friday killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American militant cleric who became a prominent figure in the terror network's most dangerous branch, using his fluent English and Internet savvy to draw recruits for attacks in the United States.

The strike was the biggest U.S. success in hitting al-Qaida's leadership figures...Read the rest of the story here.

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Do you think al-Awlaki's death will weaken al-Qaida?

[nebrarlepleme]

I'm not for sure how weakened it now is, as far as its operatives and/or its "readiness," but in terms of getting its message out, they are now going to have a MUCH harder time.

2011: A banner year of "unhealthiness" for Al Qaeda leadership!!!

[themsrsdude]

good riddance, rot in hell

[Gerribase]

This is big. Now we just need Al-Zawahiri

[feroiodpiop]

Well, the precedent is set now. The American Government can assassinate us without even a pretense of bringing us to trial.

Where are all these "Back to the Constitution" people protesting this huge violation of our civil rights?

[tetMitshisk]

It was Allah's Will that that Hellfire went up his ass!

[cialesxtr]

the good news is he is now with his 72 virgins. The bad news is, they are all Nuns, with cast iron rulers.

[MackBranon]

the good news is he is now with his 72 virgins. The bad news is, they are all Nuns, with cast iron rulers.

I always thought the fine print said something like..."but, the same 72 virgins are for all 1 billion Muslims...and they remain virgins."

[fgjhfgjh]

Well, the precedent is set now. The American Government can assassinate us without even a pretense of bringing us to trial.

Where are all these "Back to the Constitution" people protesting this huge violation of our civil rights?

You do have a point.

We do need to take a look at who gets to label someone a "terrorist" or "enemy" and by what process.

I agree this is not a great precedent...yet am not unhappy that we got this guy.

[CurtisTH]

Well, the precedent is set now. The American Government can assassinate us without even a pretense of bringing us to trial.

Where are all these "Back to the Constitution" people protesting this huge violation of our civil rights?

Well, since Yemin has no extradition treaty with us, how exactly were we to give this person any trial? And since he WAS supporting the enemy how else should we have treated him?

[gundas]

Well, since Yemin has no extradition treaty with us, how exactly were we to give this person any trial? And since he WAS supporting the enemy how else should we have treated him?

Try him in absentia.

There is definitely something to giving a US citizen due process before labeling him an enemy and authorizing his assassination. This at least makes some burden of proof required.

Maybe this case it was open and shut...but doesn't it bug you a little bit that someone, whoever that may be, could just label you an "enemy" and authorize your assassination?

[interznakinfo]

Try him in absentia.

There is definitely something to giving a US citizen due process before labeling him an enemy and authorizing his assassination. This at least makes some burden of proof required.

Maybe this case it was open and shut...but doesn't it bug you a little bit that someone, whoever that may be, could just label you an "enemy" and authorize your assassination?

Nope because I dont put myself in those positions.

[7kitthuptarill]

War, foreign country known for bad guys, main bad guy in foreign country known for bad guys now a smoking hole. Makes sense to me.

[Hamucevasiop]

And what do you think it takes to "put yourself in those positions"?

We know next to nothing about this guy, and there wasn't even a pretense of providing actual evidence. Now maybe in this case he was a bad person, but that doesn't make ignoring the process okay.

And this ties in perfectly with our "No Fly List" Gestapo crap. You can be put on the No Fly list for pretty much any reason with no judicial process... you might not even KNOW you're on the no-fly list until you try to buy a plane ticket. There have been documented cases of people leaving the USA for business or family, and not being able to return because some cook in the FBI decided he might be a "terrorist".

And how about customs? You come home from some trip overseas, and the schmuck searching your belongings decides your $2000 laptop is "evidence" and confiscates it. It'll be weeks or months before you ever see that sucker again... assuming you ever see it again at all

On the domestic side, there's our seizure laws, which allows law enforcement during a criminal investigation to seize private property, whether or not any charges are filed against you, or anybody. That $5000 of electronics the cops seized from your house while searching it? Just kiss it goodbye. You're not going to see it again.

And if you decide to take a picture or video of your civil rights being trampled? Good luck with that. There are countless cases of police, FBI, TSA, etc arresting or verbally/physically assaulting people attempting to video their activity... and of course confiscating the camera. Hope you didn't spend too much money on that thing... you're never going to see it again.

All the while making us "safer" from the scary Muslims. Move along sheeple. Nothing to see here.

[Mumeseest]

War,

So the entire world is a war zone? No matter where you are, the American government is authorized to come over and kill you?
foreign country known for bad guys, main bad guy in foreign country known for bad guys now a smoking hole. Makes sense to me. 9/11 ring a bell?

We forget that all that rhetoric we use to justify war in the Middle East can also be used in reverse against us.

[LongaDonga]

[QUOTE=Joe Bonham;475355]So the entire world is a war zone? No matter where you are, the American government is authorized to come over and kill you?


9/11 ring a bell?

If this terrorist a$$hole would have gotten dead on the other side of an invisible line would that have made it better? You better believe they don't see borders.

If I'm the regional leader of a terrorist organization whose goals are to wipe out western civilization? That comes with the job. I'm not so I didn't have a Hellfire turn my 99 Ranger into a smoking hole on my way home from work tonight.

Ft Hood ring a bell? Christmas Day underwear bomber ring a bell? Times Square bomber ring a bell?

[Jadykeery]

[QUOTE=KellyinAvon;475360]

If this terrorist a$$hole would have gotten dead on the other side of an invisible line would that have made it better? You better believe they don't see borders.

Well, there is this thing some people think is important called a "trial". Perhaps you've heard of it.

If I'm the regional leader of a terrorist organization whose goals are to wipe out western civilization? That comes with the job. I'm not so I didn't have a Hellfire turn my 99 Ranger into a smoking hole on my way home from work tonight. And don't worry. Your political masters would never DREAM of abusing these limitless powers you've given them. Patriot Act, assassination, Gitmo... they would NEVER misuse any of these powers. EVER. The government will only violate the civil rights of the "bad guys".
Ft Hood ring a bell? Christmas Day underwear bomber ring a bell? Times Square bomber ring a bell? Iraq ring a bell? Afghanistan ring a bell? Libya ring a bell? Pakistan ring a bell? Yemen ring a bell? Considering the American government has essentially declared war on the entire Muslim world and is absolutely hellbent on stealing all of their natural resources... I'm surprised more of them aren't trying to kill us.

[DzjwMKo5]

Great, we've gone and created ourselves another AQ martyr, I so enjoy seeing American citizens being deprived of Sixth Amendment rights while being labeled as a "terrorist"! I'm glad I never really threw my hat in with the Tea Party because I do remember hearing that term used there also.

[secondmortgages]

What people on this forum and elsewhere don't seem to get is that this can happen to ANYONE.

"Well, I would never get the government angry at me".

Yeah right. What if you're a civil rights activist? What if you made a public statement against the actions of the Federal Government? What if you just pissed the wrong person off? You could be labeled a "terrorist" and have your family wiped out by a SEAL team for any number of reasons.

[Caluabdum]

First you need to do some research on this guy. He was a POS terrorist and basically gave up any constitutional protections he had by declaring war on the USA. Screw him and the rest of them. He got what was long overdue and deserved. And no one in the US is going to get killed for being a political activist or speaking out etc. Take off the tin foil hat and uncover your windows…it will be ok. This guy was the high level leader in a terrorist organization advocating killing Americans on a massive scale if possible and in a foreign land…the world is a better and safer place without him.

Oh, and the US has not declared war on Muslims, just those that want to kill us. They started this fight...how can you forget that???