Anwar al-Awlaki killed in Yemen
Officials confirm death in al-Jawf of dual Yemeni-American citizen accused by US of spreading al-Qaeda's message.
Yemen's defence ministry has reported that Anwar al-Awlaki, a well-known and controversial imam with alleged ties to al-Qaeda, was killed along with four others.
A government statement released to the media on Friday said Awlaki was hunted down by Yemeni forces, but did not elaborate on the circumstances of his death. He was wanted by both the US and Yemen.
"The terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki has been killed along with some of his companions," the statement sent by text message to journalists said.
The 40-year-old US-born Awlaki, a dual Yemeni-American citizen, was a father of five. Among those that were killed with him was the co-editor of al-Qaeda's Inspire magazine, Samir Khan, a US citizen of Pakistani origin.
Khan was a specialist in computer programming and was also wanted by the Yemeni government and the US.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201193083340115111.html
This really is a groundbreaking event, and a huge step forward for our way of life. For the first time in history, an American President has not only ordered, but carried out the summary execution of a citizen who was born and raised in the United States, without due process. He was not even accused of any crime. He was merely branded "dangerous" and part of the fictitious terrorist organization known as al-Qaeda. That wonderful legal fiction which has allowed so much arbitrary violence to be done against those whom we hate.
Protecting State Secrets: Obama Builds on Bush Doctrine
...We do know however, that President Obama himself has endorsed state-sponsored killing of American citizens without any judicial oversight. Not enemy combatants mind you, but in fact has arbitrarily ordered the assassination of New Mexico native Anwar al-Awlaki. No arrest order, no trial, no judicial approval or oversight, no fact-finding mission by an impartial party, just an order to kill this American citizen on sight, wherever he is found. On the battlefield or off, sleeping at home with his children, or shopping at your local supermarket. Though the Bush administration reserved the right to order such a killing, it is not believed that they ever did actually order such an action, particularly against an American citizen.
Through his family, the target has vehemently denied that allegations of the Obama administration that he is guilty of terrorism or in any way connected to al-Qaeda...
http://msmreview.blogspot.com/2010/09/protecting-state-secrets-obama-builds.html
Also killed in the attack by CIA drones, was the blogger Samir Khan, also an American citizen. This really is a 2 for 1 deal here. Two others were killed in the attack according to reports, but let us stay focused here on the two important eliminations. An American journalist, and an American religious man, who were never accused of any crime, who had no arrest warrants issued against them, and for whom no judicial oversight was afforded in order to rule on the justification or legality of their executions.
This was not just a state-sponsored assassination either my friends. This was not just the state killing citizens, but one man who issued the order. True raw power of an almighty dictator who answers to no one. Who can doubt now the power of the franchise that is the office of the President of the United States? Soon, the right man will be installed to seize total and lifetime control of that office.
At this point, the precedent is now set. Anyone, citizen or not may be executed on a whim. Anyone can be seen as "dangerous." Dissidents, bloggers, journalists, political rivals, educators, even the likes of those scum with their Wall Street protest can be taken out and shot.
"It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion." ~Joseph Goebbels