Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Legitimate Terror Target or Assassination?

Azred · 09-30-2011, 01:21 PM

Anwar al-Awlaki (or Aulaqi, alternatively) was killed in Yemen by a drone attack. He was a known figure in Al Queda in that region and has been actively giving inflammatory speeches online, often advocating violence. He was apparently instrumental in organizing the Christmas Day bomb plot from 2009; it also appears that he was "chief of external operations" for Al Queda based in Yemen (commonly referred to as AQAP).

He was also an American citizen who was born in New Mexico.

Clearly he was involved with terrorists, both encouraging them through words and, presumably, through actions both directly and indirectly. Nevertheless, as an American citizen shouldn't the military have tried to capture him and bring him back to stand trial?

Do we second-guess the military people who were present and who reacted to a potentially imminent threat?

Should the government have a "hit list" of targets it would like to eliminate as part of a larger War on Terror (a struggle that can never actually be won)?

Are the die-hard protesters such as Code Pink--who never pass up an opportunity to reitereate their claim that Rumsfeld, Bush, and Cheney should be brought to trial for war crimes--going to push to have Obama put on trial for the murder of an American citizen?

Other than the fact that they are distinct individuals, how is Obama any different than Bush?

Should terrorists be dealt with by any means necessary, even if that means remote drone hits? Don't they simply deserve whatever happens to them?

If the government doesn't mind killing Americans involved in terrorist activity in Yemen, why wouldn't they kill Americans involved in terrorist activity here in the United States? This guy's actions in AQ aren't too far removed from what some members of ALF or Aryan Nation do.

09-30-2011, 01:21 PM	#1
Azred Drow Priestess Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: a hidden sanctorum high above the metroplex Age: 55 Posts: 4,037	Legitimate Terror Target or Assassination? Anwar al-Awlaki (or Aulaqi, alternatively) was killed in Yemen by a drone attack. He was a known figure in Al Queda in that region and has been actively giving inflammatory speeches online, often advocating violence. He was apparently instrumental in organizing the Christmas Day bomb plot from 2009; it also appears that he was "chief of external operations" for Al Queda based in Yemen (commonly referred to as AQAP). He was also an American citizen who was born in New Mexico. Clearly he was involved with terrorists, both encouraging them through words and, presumably, through actions both directly and indirectly. Nevertheless, as an American citizen shouldn't the military have tried to capture him and bring him back to stand trial? Do we second-guess the military people who were present and who reacted to a potentially imminent threat? Should the government have a "hit list" of targets it would like to eliminate as part of a larger War on Terror (a struggle that can never actually be won)? Are the die-hard protesters such as Code Pink--who never pass up an opportunity to reitereate their claim that Rumsfeld, Bush, and Cheney should be brought to trial for war crimes--going to push to have Obama put on trial for the murder of an American citizen? Other than the fact that they are distinct individuals, how is Obama any different than Bush? Should terrorists be dealt with by any means necessary, even if that means remote drone hits? Don't they simply deserve whatever happens to them? If the government doesn't mind killing Americans involved in terrorist activity in Yemen, why wouldn't they kill Americans involved in terrorist activity here in the United States? This guy's actions in AQ aren't too far removed from what some members of ALF or Aryan Nation do. __________________ Everything may be explained by a conspiracy theory. All conspiracy theories are true. No matter how thinly you slice it, it's still bologna.