Groups file suit over government power to kill American terrorists

[The Northerner]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Two major civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the government's asserted authority to kill U.S. citizens living abroad who are designated as terrorists.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights announced they represent the father of influential Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, believed to be living in Yemen, who may be targeted by U.S. government drones.

U.S. officials believe al-Awlaki, a Yemeni-American, influenced Maj. Nidal Hasan, the man accused of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shootings, and played a more active role in Umar Farouk Abdul-Mutallab's attempted bombing of a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day 2009.

Officials also believe al-Awlaki inspired Faisal Shahzad, who has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges in the attempted car bomb attack in Times Square in May, as well as several others.

The ACLU and CCR announced the challenge to the government's plan to use lethal force against U.S. citizens "located far from any battlefield without charge, trial, or judicial process of any kind," a statement from the groups said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/03/lawsuit.american.terrorists/

[RC]

1. Good.

[Jefferson23]

2. Consider becoming a card carrying member. The ACLU serves Americans well. n/t

[Wilms]

3. It's about time they got up in Bush's face.

Oh, wait. I think there was an election a couple of years ago.

[MrSlayer]

4. Wait. Why shouldn't we kill American terrorists living abroad?

Provided they are actual terrorists like this al-Awlaki dick apparently is. I'm failing to see why we should differentiate between whether one was born here or born somewhere else. If the person in question is a terrorist, we should do our damnedest to kill them.

What am I missing on this?

[IndianaGreen]

5. Because a future President Palin or Beck may declare you a terrorist

and order your assassination. That's just the save our asses reasoning for opposing a power used by the likes of Henry VIII.

The constitutional reasoning is that no such power is granted to the executive. For a President to do so, it constitutes an abuse of power and an impeachable offence.

[pmorlan1]

8. What are you missing?

How about due process for starters.

[EFerrari]

9. The part you are missing is the part where the government tells you

they are terrorists, just trust us, they don't need a trial.

[Papa Boule]

6. K & R. For what little good it will do.

n/t

[pmorlan1]

7. Our Country Is Changing

And it's not a good change. Lawyers shouldn't have to get the government's permission to represent an American citizen merely because the government ACCUSES that person of being a terrorist. What about due process?

[IndianaGreen]

10. Both major parties are dragging our country into fascism

The GOP uses raw power, while the Democrats are using KY lubricant.

[sofa king]

11. Wait a minute. The Fort Hood guy was an ACTUAL terrorist?

I just assumed my government was lying to me about that.