Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul argued today that the drone attack which probably killed the cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was unconstitutional.
Although living in Yemen, al-Awlaki was still a US citizen and had the right to a trial for his likely connections to terrorism.
In an op-ed that ran in the New York Daily News, which tends to be a pro-war newspaper, Dr. Paul made a compelling case against President Obama's approval of the joint mission between the CIA and the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command that killed al-Awlaki and others:
Awlaki was a U.S. citizen. Under our Constitution, American citizens, even those living abroad, must be charged with a crime before being sentenced. As President, I would have arrested Awlaki, brought him to the U.S., tried him and pushed for the stiffest punishment allowed by law. Treason has historically been judged to be the worst of crimes, deserving of the harshest sentencing. But what I would not do as President is what Obama has done and continues to do in spectacular fashion: circumvent the rule of law...
The precedent set by the killing of Awlaki establishes the frightening legal premise that any suspected enemy of the United States - even if they are a citizen - can be taken out on the President's say-so alone. Part of the very concept of citizenship is the protection of due process and the rule of law. The President wants to spread American values around the world but continues to do great damage to them here at home, appointing himself judge, jury and executioner by presidential decree.
Do you agree that the President's decision was unconstitutional?
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