Many Americans and those in the media have been cheering the killing of Anwar Al-Awalki throughout the day today, even many conservatives(or neoconservatives at least). How can these conservatives who say they support the Constitution, liberty, and the rule of law support such a tyrannical and unconstitutional action?
If the government has the right to deem an American citizen a terrorist and then assassinate them without any type of trial, a liberty-minded person should understand how wrong this is. Just months ago, many DHS internal memos were leaked calling people who were pro-life, veterans, or right-wingers potential terrorists. Under the logic that many are currently professing, the government would be able to kill any of those people or virtually anyone they deemed a terrorist extra judicially.
This, like many other overreaching government actions, sets a dangerous precedent for expansion and abuse of government power in the future. If the United States had the intelligence to track down and kill Mr. Awlaki, then they certainly had the intelligence to track down and capture him. Not that this vile and evil man is anyone to stick up for, but you can't pick and choose who to apply the law to in a republic like ours.
Also, if we really wanted him so bad, why didn't we just pick him up when he was invited to dine at the pentagon? (Yes, this really happened.)
Commentary and analysis on all things political. A blog sponsored by the College Republicans at Roger Williams University.
