Have you noticed in American television and movies how the heroes and heroines can so blithely ignore the law when catching or killing bad guys. It must be infectious. It has even convinced President Obama to have people killed without trial, without trying to arrest them or asking another country to extradite them. And he is proud of it.
Obama has placed himself above the law. It was worse than Clinton who only lied to hide his peccadilloes. It was worse than both the Bushes who lied to go to war over oil. Obama had an American citizen killed in a foreign country by American agents—and bragged about it. Obama ignored both American and International law.
The U.S. claims that Anwar al Awlaki was killed in an attack by an American drone aircraft flying over Yemeni air space on the Arabian Peninsula. It is believed that other people were also killed in the attack. The Americans seem to take pride in this collateral damage as well. It is also likely that the tip as to where the Americans could find al Awlaki to be hiding came from Yemeni police who probably tortured one of al Awlaki’s cohorts to get the information.
This is not to say al Awlaki should have been allowed to run free to urge jihadist war between Muslims and America. He was born and educated in America and he preached hatred for the land of his birth. If he had done what was claimed, it needed to be proved in a court of law. Then throw the bastard in jail and let him preach to the cockroaches.
But to claim the credit for his murder and gloat at his death is the stupidest act we have ever seen from a U.S. President. It defiles the man. It corrupts the office. It shames the United States of America before other nations. It is the same as saying: “I am President and I am above the law.” No man anywhere has the right to say that!
It is when we all respect that law that civilization can work. When we put ourselves above the law, we are just ignorant cowboys.
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Copyright 2011 © Peter Lowry
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