Death of Anwar al-Awlaki

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

"U.S. Born Terror Leader Anwar al-Awlaki Dead" read many major headlines this morning. I was unaware of who the man was or what he had done, so I followed a nice link from TIME that gave some background on the so-called terror leader.

After perusing the information available on al-Awlaki, I discovered that he was probably one of the most educated and prominent men in American Islam. Not only did al-Awlaki hold a degree in civil engineering, he had both a Master's and Doctoral degree from American institutions. While most are hailing his death a triumph to the peace and anti-terror efforts, I cannot help but wonder what such a prominent and clearly educated man had done to deserve such harse punishment except ally himself with the enemies of the United States.

al-Awlaki was an American citizen who held all the rights of American, and yet his government ordered him gunned down without due process or even the same luxuries that criminals who commit the most trite crimes are afforded. al-Awlaki was the first American to receive a place on the CIA's "capture or kill" list (see here) due to his prominent rise among the American Islamic society. al-Awlaki was a renowned internet wizard and gifted speaker who's anti-American sentiments quickly drew attention to him.

I wonder if the American government betrayed their people here or were simply carrying out their God-given duty (cough cough) to spread peace and democracy across the globe. Personally, I think al-Awlaki should have been brought to justice, not bombed from afar. He should have gotten his date in court but is instead dead in the mountains of Yemen.

[Calenhardon]

Goodbye and good riddance to treasonous terrorists. I hope the bomb missed ever so slightly and let him burn a little before he died. I hope it took a few of his followers with him, too.

[Northwest Slobovia]

All governments kill criminals. That's right: while we prefer to administer justice in a civilized fashion, if a crook gets into a gunfight with police, the odds are he's gonna get killed. Since this traitor was protected by the rest of his terrorist gang, I think the US did the best it could. Not ideal, no, but this is the real world where real countries have limited abilities.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Goodbye and good riddance to treasonous terrorists. I hope the bomb missed ever so slightly and let him burn a little before he died.

We do try to be better than our enemies, y'know.

I hope it took a few of his followers with him, too.

Yemen's Defense Ministry said another American militant was killed in the same strike alongside al-Awlaki — Samir Khan, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani heritage who produced "Inspire," an English-language al-Qaida Web magazine that spread the word on ways to carry out attacks inside the United States. U.S. officials said they believed Khan was in the convoy carrying al-Awlaki that was struck but that they were still trying to confirm his death. U.S. and Yemeni officials said two other militants were also killed in the strike but did not immediately identify them.

US strike kills American al-Qaida cleric in Yemen

[Sane Outcasts]

After perusing the information available on al-Awlaki, I discovered that he was probably one of the most educated and prominent men in American Islam. Not only did al-Awlaki hold a degree in civil engineering, he had both a Master's and Doctoral degree from American institutions. While most are hailing his death a triumph to the peace and anti-terror efforts, I cannot help but wonder what such a prominent and clearly educated man had done to deserve such harse punishment except ally himself with the enemies of the United States.

He actively recruited for terrorists and has lately been disturbingly vocal in calling for attacks on the civilian population of the US, as the Huff Post article you linked mentioned:

In an article published in January in an English-language al-Qaida newsletter called Inspire, al-Awlaki called for targeting the "wealth of disbelievers" in non-Muslim countries – including government-owned properties, banks and global corporations.

"In the case of the United States, both the government and private citizens should be targeted. America and Americans are the Imams of kufr (leaders of disbelief) in this day and age," he wrote.

Is it really that surprising that he would be killed instead of captured?

[Useran]

I can only hope that it was a slow, painful, horrible death.

It's what he deserved after all, fucking terrorist shit stain.

[The Rich Port]

Shit is starting to get real.

I smell Troubles in the Middle East.

[The Corparation]

IN allying himself with our enemies, he committed an act of treason. Add to that that as a prominent AL-Qaida cleric we could easily be classed as an enemy combatant/ Enemy combatants don't get trials.

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

In other cases the U.S. has jumped through hoops to make sure even the worst of criminals are brought home and face a trial by jury. Is terrorism (or even the act of associating with a terrorist group) now the exemption to that law?

I do not doubt that while al-Awlaki was most definitely a subversive entity in his later years, he was a peaceful, if not outspoken, leader and religious figure in the United States for many years before he grew ties to terrorist organizations. Even the 9/11 bombers got trials, and they certainly committed more crimes than this man ever did in his recruitment and outspoken ways. While, in the end, he probably would have suffered the same fate had he been brought to trial, it is very disconcerting that the American government has no qualms about simply skirting around the laws they have made in order to get their man.

[Ashmoria]

yeah thats what happens when you go to war against your country.

i dont like it but its better than letting him stay free to plot terror attacks on the US.

[Ashmoria]

In other cases the U.S. has jumped through hoops to make sure even the worst of criminals are brought home and face a trial by jury. Is terrorism (or even the act of associating with a terrorist group) now the exemption to that law?

I do not doubt that while al-Awlaki was most definitely a subversive entity in his later years, he was a peaceful, if not outspoken, leader and religious figure in the United States for many years before he grew ties to terrorist organizations. Even the 9/11 bombers got trials, and they certainly committed more crimes than this man ever did in his recruitment and outspoken ways. While, in the end, he probably would have suffered the same fate had he been brought to trial, it is very disconcerting that the American government has no qualms about simply skirting around the laws they have made in order to get their man.

the 9/11 bombers all died.

he was plotting against the US and was a danger to us all. it would have been better to capture him and bring him to trial but killing him is better than letting him continue his plans.

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

In other cases the U.S. has jumped through hoops to make sure even the worst of criminals are brought home and face a trial by jury. Is terrorism (or even the act of associating with a terrorist group) now the exemption to that law?

I do not doubt that while al-Awlaki was most definitely a subversive entity in his later years, he was a peaceful, if not outspoken, leader and religious figure in the United States for many years before he grew ties to terrorist organizations. Even the 9/11 bombers got trials, and they certainly committed more crimes than this man ever did in his recruitment and outspoken ways. While, in the end, he probably would have suffered the same fate had he been brought to trial, it is very disconcerting that the American government has no qualms about simply skirting around the laws they have made in order to get their man.

the 9/11 bombers all died.

he was plotting against the US and was a danger to us all. it would have been better to capture him and bring him to trial but killing him is better than letting him continue his plans.

Apologies, you are correct. I was referring to those who plotted the attacks rather than carried them out.

[Vetalia]

Ah yes, an educated man who not only sympathized with but collaborated with the types of people who rape and oppress women with utter violence and brutality, brutally torture and murder homosexuals without a second thought and strive for the utter annihilation of other religious beliefs and philosophies so theirs can reign supreme in a realm of theocratic terror. Truly an upstanding man and eminent leader of American Muslims.

He was a monster and a traitor, and deserved what he got.

[Calenhardon]

the 9/11 bombers all died.

he was plotting against the US and was a danger to us all. it would have been better to capture him and bring him to trial but killing him is better than letting him continue his plans.

Apologies, you are correct. I was referring to those who plotted the attacks rather than carried them out.

Which plotters, exactly, got civilian trials? Do waterboarding and shooting people in the eye count as trials now?

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

Please, let's avoid typing an entire people group group by those fringe extremists in the group

There are crazies out there for every religion, race, nationality, etc., but the vast majority of people are quite normal. This man was a U.S. citizen and deserved a fair trial, though as I said, it probably would have turned out in the same way.

[Sremski okrug]

It's at a convent time.

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

Which plotters, exactly, got civilian trials? Do waterboarding and shooting people in the eye count as trials now?

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi were all brought to federal courts and a trial by jury by the U.S. Justice Department. The U.S. Attorney General choose to try all five in civilian courts.

[Calenhardon]

Which plotters, exactly, got civilian trials? Do waterboarding and shooting people in the eye count as trials now?

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi were all brought to federal courts and a trial by jury by the U.S. Justice Department. The U.S. Attorney General choose to try all five in civilian courts.

Source?

From wiki: "On 7 January 2011 US President Barack Obama signed National Defense Authorization Act which explicitly prohibits the use of US Defense Department funds to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States or other countries. It also bars Pentagon funds from being used to build facilities in the United States to house detainees, as the president originally suggested. The move essentially barred the administration from trying detainees in civilian courts."

[Steel and Fire]

So what have we learned from this?

1) The US Government follows its own laws
2) Islam is a religion of peace.

So long as that's clear.

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi were all brought to federal courts and a trial by jury by the U.S. Justice Department. The U.S. Attorney General choose to try all five in civilian courts.

Source?

Trust me, I am not creative enough to pull names like that out of thin air

I got that information from the first article that appeared when "9/11 bomber trials" is Googled. What you have cited was signed long after the trials of these men started, and therefore cannot retrospectively apply.

[New England and The Maritimes]

Good. He's an enemy combatant(since we're officially fighting Al Qaeda,) so he's not treated as a civilian criminal.

[Skyrim Diplomacy]

Good. He's an enemy combatant(since we're officially fighting Al Qaeda,) so he's not treated as a civilian criminal.

Sadly, I believe you are correct. His association with a group the U.S. doesn't like apparently revokes his citizenship and right to a trial by jury

[Voerdeland]

Meh. Another victory, another martyr... Does anyone have any idea how to end this war?

[Zetapos]

In other cases the U.S. has jumped through hoops to make sure even the worst of criminals are brought home and face a trial by jury. Is terrorism (or even the act of associating with a terrorist group) now the exemption to that law?

I do not doubt that while al-Awlaki was most definitely a subversive entity in his later years, he was a peaceful, if not outspoken, leader and religious figure in the United States for many years before he grew ties to terrorist organizations. Even the 9/11 bombers got trials, and they certainly committed more crimes than this man ever did in his recruitment and outspoken ways. While, in the end, he probably would have suffered the same fate had he been brought to trial, it is very disconcerting that the American government has no qualms about simply skirting around the laws they have made in order to get their man.

In many cases, we've jumped through hoops to make sure the criminal received a death penalty, as well. This is the CIA we are talking about, correct? Does it surprise you at all that the CIA assassinated someone? The US sees these people as war criminals and treat them as such. And anyways, often the commanding officer cannot afford to wait and get a warrant then risk the lives of his men just to capture one man who is going to die anyways.

I understand what you are saying and I agree that it isn't necessarily fair. War, however, is not fair and he knew what he was doing. It's a shame people die over this stuff but you must realize he was also killing/attempting to kill/helping kill people.

[New England and The Maritimes]

Good. He's an enemy combatant(since we're officially fighting Al Qaeda,) so he's not treated as a civilian criminal.

Sadly, I believe you are correct. His association with a group the U.S. doesn't like apparently revokes his citizenship and right to a trial by jury

Really? Sad for a man involved in plotting the deaths of thousands of innocent people? I hope he rots in whichever hell he believed reserved for the civilians he wanted dead.