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Check out Gregory “al-Waq-a Flocka Flame” Johnsen’s op-ed on Anwar Awlaki’s place in al-Qaeda. If, as the publicly-available evidence supports, the guy is a propagandist of an exceptionally vile sort, why should he be treated differently than another American citizen, Adam Gadahn, previously al-Qaeda’s chief English-language propagandist? I can see the argument that Awlaki’s clerical credentials make him more important to the terrorist network. But it strains credulity that such a difference could amount to a grant for assassination. Meanwhile, the evidence that Awlaki’s in an “operational role” for al-Qaeda remains undisclosed.
One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other |
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| By: Spencer Ackerman Saturday November 20, 2010 6:47 pm | |
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Let us ask his handlers in the Pentagon.
We’ve done ourselves the amazing favor of turning Awlaki from a low-level propagandist into a valiant mujahadin fighting the American infidels. Our decision to assassinate him simultaneously increased his world-wide reach while also increasing the likelihood that he will be mourned as a martyr in the event we do hit him with a missile. Why do we always seem to possess the innate ability to shoot ourselves in the foot? I came to expect this stuff from Bush, but it really seems surprising to see so much of it coming from the Obama administration.
Is it documented that Gadahn is not being treated differently?
Pray tell, what wouldn’t strain credulity that such a difference could amount to a grant for assassination? Just stating it this way implies that a USA president can order any citizen assassinated.
I disagree with this premise, as do others. Do you agree with it?
The difference is really simple. Awlaki is brown and says really vile things. That makes it easier to demonize him. But we should be realistic. If we kill him, it will be to establish the principle that the president can assassinate American citizens if they are overseas. They don’t care about Awlaki. They are following the Cheney pattern. It’s all about power.