Execution of Al-Awaki: The Obama Administration Has Essay

Execution of al-Awaki:

The Obama Administration has increased the use of killer drones in lieu of putting the country's boots on the ground. In one of the most debatable issues, the Obama Administration killed, Anwar al-Awaki, a suspected al-Qaeda member, in 2011. The suspected al-Qaeda member had been accused of being a significant organizer in various terrorist attacks, and was identified as one of the main al-Qaeda leaders. The controversy associated with this murder is attributed to whether the Obama Administration had the right to sanction the execution of the suspect without a court trial. This issue is further complicated with various set of factors that surround the case including the fact that al-Awaki was an American citizen before his death. As an American citizen, he was granted due process rights by the U.S. Constitution. According to the provisions of the due process, a suspect has the right to a trial before an unjust judge and jury and access to a lawyer. The main controversy surrounding the issue is that al-Awaki was not granted these rights before the Yemen attack that resulted in his death.

Obama's Authorization of the Execution of al-Awaki:

President Obama took an extraordinary step in authorizing the targeted murder of an American citizen, Anwar al-Awaki who was a radical Muslim cleric. According to intelligence and counter-terrorism officials, the suspect is believed to have moved from encouraging attacks on America to directly engaging in them. The suspect was born in New Mexico and spent his early years in America as an imam before going to hide in Yemen (Shane, 2010). As a result, al-Awaki had been the focus of strong scrutiny because of his links to Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.While al-Awaki is believed to have become a recruiter for the al-Qaeda terrorist network, it's very rare and unprecedented for an American citizen to be approved for targeted killing. Based on a former senior legal official in the Bush Administration, President Bush did not authorize for targeted murder of any American citizen. However, the direction of national intelligence, Dennis Blair, stated that permission is granted for the killing of an American as part of direct actions against terrorists. al-Awaki's killing is supported on the basis that the United States government acts as its citizens expect, especially in overcoming threats to homeland security. The suspect was a threat to the country's homeland security since he posed a danger that was no longer confined in words.

The other major aspect that has been used in support of the killing of al-Awaki is the fact that international law allows the use of fatal force against people and groups that pose a forthcoming danger to a country. Therefore, this provision of international law is the standard with which names are added to the list of targets. For instance, when the U.S. Congress authorized the use of military force against al-Qaeda after 9/11 attacks, individuals on the list of target were considered to be military enemies of America and were not subject to prohibition on political assassination. While the military and the CIA maintain lists of terrorists linked to al-Qaeda and its affiliates, the inclusion of al-Awaki on the list was….....