Ron Paul: US-born al-Qaida cleric 'assassinated'

[Gan]

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is condemning the Obama administration for killing an American born al-Qaida operative without a trial.

Paul, a Texas congressman known for libertarian views, says the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki on Yemeni soil amounts to an "assassination." Paul warned the American people not to casually accept such violence against U.S. citizens, even those with strong ties to terrorism.

Anwar al-Awlaki was considered one of the most influential al-Qaida operatives wanted by the United States. U.S. and Yemen officials say he was killed in a U.S. air strike targeting his convoy Friday morning.

Paul made the comments to reporters after a campaign stop Friday at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. He said America's leaders must think hard about "assassinating American citizens without charges."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-30-10-34-45

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Thoughts from the Paul-o-holics?

[Androidpk]

I'd say I am a little concerned over this. The guy was never actually convicted of anything, I don't even think he's been charged. Due process? What?

[Ardwen]

wasnt the convoy of weapons or whatever the target and killing this tool a bonus?

[waywardgs]

Don't fight for the other side? Don't hang out with the other side in a different country and spout anti-American rhetoric engouraging people to kill Americans? Don't travel with an enemy weapons convoy?

Paul is trying to make a legal point but it seems to me that being a defector pretty much undermines your legal protection under American law.

[Tgo01]

Oh no, I wonder how much sleep I'll lose tonight knowing some piece of shit wasn't given a trial before being blown to bits.

[Gelston]

It wasn't an assassination, the missile tried to arrest him first.

[Xorai]

Kill them all~fuck a trial

[Kembal]

International laws of war and U.S. criminal law have yet to catch up to the concept of stateless organizations engaged in violent action and that citizens of a country may join those organizations in order to wage war against the country that they're nominally the citizen of.

This is one place where legal reality is divorced from actual reality. I'll choose actual reality.

[4a6c1]

Yeah I honestly didnt know the guy was an American citizen. It does change things and Paul is asking some valid questions.

Who else but Paul has the guts to go so far against the flow and ask those questions? I respect him more for it.

[poloneus]

Who else but Paul has the guts to go so far against the flow and ask those questions? I respect him more for it.

^this, even though I think he is wrong, legally speaking.

In order to enjoy the due process clauses in our Constitution you have to be a citizen, or at least be within the country (precedence has established that people here legally or illegally are generally given the same rights as citizens, especially when it comes to due process).

He renounced his citizenship repeatedly and lived outside the country. His due process rights under the Constitution are no longer valid.