home

U.S. Adds Cleric al-Awlaki to "Capture or Kill" List

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 02:12:27 PM EST
Tags: Anwar al-Awlaki (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

The United States has added Muslim Cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen born in the U.S. but now believed to be in Yemen, to its "capture or kill" list.

Previously believed to be an inspirational rather than operational leader of al-Qaida Arabian Peninsula, a review of his status by the National Security Council determined he was "a proven threat."

There were signs this was coming back in February.

And the Yemen Observer is reporting AQAP leadership has left Yemen and moved to Somalia. Did al-Awlaki go with them?

< Tuesday Morning Open Thread | Ohio Enacts Law to Protect the Innocent >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    U.S. Adds Cleric al-Awlaki to "Capture or Kill" List | 12 comments (12 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Will this open up Somalia to our drone killings, (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by jawbone on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 07:04:16 PM EST
    or are we already there? I imagine we don't announce our assassination machines' presence until we've made some kills. Or...do we?

    A prime example (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by Peter G on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 09:12:58 PM EST
    of why it is wrong to talk about the "war" on terror.  Only the (international) law of war could allow such a thing.  No violation of US law, such as conspiracy to kill in the Christmas Eve "underpants" case, authorizes anything but a warrant to arrest.  There is no such thing as a law enforcement warrant to "capture or kill."  With what nation, recognized or rogue, is the United States at war, of whose army this "cleric" is an officer or soldier?

    Some expert analysis (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Peter G on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 09:50:08 PM EST
    From NYU law prof Philip Alston, on Democracy Now!.  Alston is a UN special rapporteur on the subject.

    Parent
    Heh. President 007? (none / 0) (#12)
    by jawbone on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 10:04:43 PM EST


    Parent
    Admiral Yamamoto... (none / 0) (#13)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 08:33:47 AM EST
    When examining the history of WWII, one finds that Admiral Isoroku Yamammoto was targeted for assassination by the US Military. However, there was debate in the Pentagon and at the highest levels about two issues involved-- first, that Japan might find out about US codebreaking, and second, that msking one person a target might be agaisnt the rules of war.

    At the end of the day, the aircraft on which Yamamoto was travelling was intercepted and shot down. After all, Yamamoto was the chief architect of Pearl Harbor and was the brain behind the Japanese defense strategy.

    Targetting an American citizen while making public announcements about it makes this 'sanction' tawdry and vengeful. It's not about justice nor does it seem to be about making a difference in combatting the terrorists.

    Parent

    I thought he was dead already... (none / 0) (#1)
    by desertswine on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 02:18:21 PM EST
    like last December.

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by squeaky on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 02:47:32 PM EST
    When some people make "to do" list, the first thing on the list is already done. That way it feels good to start with a list with the first thing already crossed off. I think it is for motivational purposes.

    Parent
    Wiki says he is on Facebook. Go (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Tue Apr 06, 2010 at 02:36:51 PM EST
    figure.

    Parent
    See Glenn Greenwald's Wed. post. (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 11:01:43 AM EST


    Killing OK! (none / 0) (#8)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 12:53:31 PM EST

    Killing this guy outright is OK on Obama's say so, but intercepting one of his e-mails to someone in the US requires a judge to sign off!!  

    Is this policy or parody?

    IMO (none / 0) (#10)
    by lentinel on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:04:10 PM EST
    Is this policy or parody?

    Yes.
    And yes.

    Parent

    Yee Hah! (none / 0) (#9)
    by lentinel on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:03:08 PM EST
    The spirit of George Bush rides agin.

    Dead or Alive.

    (Meaning "dead")

    They just seem dumber and dumber to me in D.C.

    I know that's not nice to say, but that's what I feel.

    U.S. Adds Cleric al-Awlaki to "Capture or Kill" List | 12 comments (12 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment