September 30, 2011
HELLFIRE FROM A UNICORN:
The due-process-free assassination of U.S. citizens is now reality (Glenn Greenwald, 9/30/11, Salon)
It was first reported in January of last year that the Obama administration had compiled a hit list of American citizens whom the President had ordered assassinated without any due process, and one of those Americans was Anwar al-Awlaki. No effort was made to indict him for any crimes (despite a report last October that the Obama administration was "considering" indicting him). Despite substantial doubt among Yemen experts about whether he even has any operational role in Al Qaeda, no evidence (as opposed to unverified government accusations) was presented of his guilt. When Awlaki's father sought a court order barring Obama from killing his son, the DOJ argued, among other things, that such decisions were "state secrets" and thus beyond the scrutiny of the courts. He was simply ordered killed by the President: his judge, jury and executioner.
Turns out, commanders-in-chief play hardball.
Posted by oj at September 30, 2011 7:27 AM
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