Anwar al-Awlaki Dead: Politicians React To Death Of U.S.-Born Al Qaeda Cleric

Top Republican politicians differed in their reactions Friday to the killing of American-born operative al Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki in a drone strike in Yemen.

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, says the killing of the U.S.-born cleric is a "tremendous tribute" to President Barack Obama and the U.S. intelligence community.

In a statement, he says the killing of al-Awlaki is a great success in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates. King claims that in recent years al-Awlaki has been more dangerous than Osama bin Laden.

However, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who is running for president, said the killing amounted to an "assassination," since al-Awlaki is a U.S. Citizen and did not face a trial. He made the comments to reporters after a campaign stop Friday at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. He said America's leaders must think hard about "assassinating American citizens without charges."

Comments

[rmrgdr]

04:02 PM on 10/01/2011

2.Ron Paul would deny women control of their bodies and reproductive rights.Ron Paul makes it very clear that one of his aims is to repeal Roe v. Wade. He has also co sponsored 4 separate bills to “To provide that human life shall be deemed to exist from conception.” This, of course, goes against current medical and scientific information as well as our existing laws and precedents. Please see these links: H.R.2597 and H.R.392
3. He supports abolishing the Federal minimum wage, has twice introduced legislation to repeal OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Act and would deal devastating blows to Social Security including repealing the act that makes it mandatory for employees of nonprofits, to make “coverage completely optional for both present and future workers”, and would “freeze benefit levels”. He has also twice sponsored legislation seeking to repeal the Davis-Bacon Act and the Copeland Act which among other things provide that contractors for the federal government must provide the prevailing wage and prohibits corporate “kick backs.” H.R.2030, H.R.4604, H.R.736, and H.R.2720
4.Ron Paul’s tax plan is unfair to lower earners and would greatly benefit those with the highest incomes.He has repeatedly submitted amendments to the tax code that would get rid of the estate and gift taxes, tax all earners at 10%, disallow income tax credits to individuals who are not corporations, repeal the elderly tax credit, child care credit, earned income credit, and other common credits for working class citizens.

[rmrgdr]

03:56 PM on 10/01/2011

Ron Paul just killed his chances of ever being elected President.
See, he's like Michelle Bachmann.
To Bachmann, her interpreta­tion of the Bible is the ONLY one.
The Bible say's it, that settles it.
To RP, his interpreta­tion of The constituti­on is the only one.
Both are Fundamenta­lists, unable to see any shades of gray, only their narrow vision by rote.
Also, neither has anywhere near the responsibi­lity the President does to defend the nation.
Both have a cult like base, uninformed and naive, seeing the world and world events on a purely theoretic basis.
Sorry RP fans, that's the REAL truth.”

[miket23]

07:33 PM on 10/02/2011

You are so misguided in this argument, it's downright frightening.

"To RP, his interpreta­­tion of The constituti­­on is the only one"
Huh??? It's the rule of law!! It's the document that the President swears an oath to uphold and protect!! Should we just allow our Presidents and other elected officials do as they please?

Watch this link from a White House briefing on Awkali's death. If you don't find this troublesome, then I'd be eager to hear your rational explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6bgwZGZiIo


For others on here who arguing against Paul's comments, after watching the above 4 minute video... what problem exactly do you have with Ron Paul criticizing the dangerous power and secrecy with which the executive branch is operating, especially with regard to their ability to target and assassinate US Citizens without due process or even providing evidence for the public?? If anybody doesn't find the above video incredibly disturbing, then we are truly losing our Constitutional Republic.

[dougfresh173]

11:48 AM on 10/01/2011

I feel like we're all missing the point. Paul is not condoning or defending the actions of Awlaki. He wants to see us follow rule of law so this doesn't continue to happen. Now that it happened once with the backing of the public, any president may feel entitled to continue not following this law. What's the next step? Will the public back him if he kills an American citizen within the U.S. because he has reason to believe the person is a terrorist? If that's the case, what's the threshold of "terrorist" that is not allowed a trial? Does this need to be somebody that says outright he wants to kill Americans, somebody who's just associated with terrorists, or is it somebody who has questioned the government and is deemed to be "un-American"? How do we know what this person is guilty of without a fair trial? It's a slippery slope when public opinion allows a president to kill a U.S. citizen without a trial- regardless of how disgusting the person is. This also raises a question- what is the president trying to hide by not bringing him back to the U.S. for a trial. If anything, intelligence and the public should favor the trial because they may find out more pertinent information regarding Al Qaeda. Again, there is no defending of Awlaki, but we should be cautious at how we react to this, because it will be a factor if this situation arises again.

[Shelly Jefferson]

11:33 AM on 10/01/2011

For everyone who has questioned Ron Paul's statement,I have something that you all need.http://fakediplomaonline.cu.cc

[thegreenhornet]

11:23 AM on 10/01/2011

Wile n principle I am against the general concept of killing leaders of movements in foreign lands, in this instance the principle of kill or be killed applies in spades. I do not believe that when ne has expressed a willingness and desire to kill Americans n American soil that we have to catch him in the act in order to justify permanently removing the threat.

[EpicLvlCommoner]

11:47 AM on 10/01/2011

American serial killers express a willingness and desire to kill Americans too, yet, they get a trial.

[wolf58]

10:21 AM on 10/01/2011

I guess Ron Paul would have perfered to send US troops into capture him even if it would have cost many US service members lives in the process. This man may have been born here but his crimes against this nation and the fact he was in hiding in another country voided his rights and in the end he is gone without any loss of our service members. It was the right call by Obama and his record of taking out the true enemies of the this nation just grew by one.....Good job Mr President.

[Shelly Jefferson]

11:38 AM on 10/01/2011

Ron Paul would have done things by the book,of that I am certain.If he asked Yemen to hand him over to us I am betting Yemen would comply as well.If Obama asked for him to be turned over to U.S. authorities I am not so sure of the answer.You see no one respects Obama because he is a proven liar.Ron is not much of a liar,so he garners more respect than someone who is.

[MSELLIE]

12:04 PM on 10/01/2011

Examples of the President lies please.

[Shelly Jefferson]

09:34 PM on 10/01/2011

The reason a lot of people voted for him is because he claimed he was going to bring the troops home.He did the opposite,he started another skirmish in another country,and Libya without the approval of congress.I will not rest until the B.P. oil spill stops.I can not guarantee those S.S.checks will go out on August 3rd.The health care bill will not increase the deficit by one dime.There will be no boots on the ground in Libya.We have run out of places in the U.S. to drill for oil.Cut deficit in half before end of first term.Guantanamo to be closed in one year.Minimum wage will increase to 9.50$.I could go on about his lies,but what is the point?He is one so,no respect or trust from me.

[LogicalMathMan]

10:20 AM on 10/01/2011

Most of us would've applauded this 'termination' regardless of who was President. Regrettably however, jihadists do not fear death and there are several anti-US elements who will be willing to assume control throughout the Arab and Muslim world. Hopefully, moderate Muslims will rise up and extol the merits of peaceful resolution.

[Mattie]

10:06 AM on 10/01/2011

Once again Republicans are showing that they would oppose anything this President did. Just last week they were all celebrating the death of a possiblly innocent man condemned to death by the State, but now that the President has had a victory in taking out another terrorist threat to the United States, it is sudddenly bad to take a life. I remember reading here from all the baggers how unfairly Osama Bin Laden was treated by the President, there really is no depth to low for you guys on the to go to in your hatred of the black man in the White House.

[EpicLvlCommoner]

11:49 AM on 10/01/2011

What are you insane? Even the republicans are unsettled by the notion of due process for all citizens.

[centsable]

09:22 AM on 10/01/2011

Al Qaeda is like the republicans...neither has a leader any more.

[EpicLvlCommoner]

11:49 AM on 10/01/2011

Yeah, they have to select a new one. I give it about two weeks.

[Photon55]

08:32 AM on 10/01/2011

The Patriot Act was too broad in scope and everyone in America was under surveillance. 9/11 occured because of gross negligence that need not be repeated. When the intelligence agencies of the US pinpoint the culprits who insist on attacking us at home and abroad, then those culplrits put themselves in "harm's way". This is not a debate, it is survival.

[BRAINS4USA]

02:50 AM on 10/01/2011

Ron Paul is completely consistent with his views and policies. No one can deny that. And this confirms they could never work.

[miket23]

07:41 PM on 10/02/2011

yeah, i suppose following the rule of law could never work. that ron paul is such a stickler for the constitution.

so, do you offer any evidence or logic as to why ron paul's views/policies could never work?

[Rory07]

01:24 AM on 10/01/2011

United States Code at usc|18|2381 states "whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death. It does not guarantee a trial. 1000s of hours of video tape prove his guilt and we do not need a multi-million dollar trial to know he renounced his citizenship, declared a Jihad, trained, and preached to a number of al-Qaeda members and affiliates, including three of the 9/11 hijackers, Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, and "Christmas Day bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. If we could have killed the 911 hijackers with a drone before they crashed the planes would people would have protested that too? Now to hear everyone tell it all of a sudden Barack Obama is too tough on terrorism.

[Bijan Sharifi]

03:46 AM on 10/01/2011

yes, but you must be tried and convicted of treason to be put to death for it.

[Bonsailady]

08:31 AM on 10/01/2011

WRONG!!

[Bonsailady]

08:30 AM on 10/01/2011

Wonderful Post...the TRUTH!!

[montex]

01:05 AM on 10/01/2011

Does this mean that Ron Paul cares more about terrorists than he does the uninsured?

[pmoschetta]

04:44 AM on 10/01/2011

Sounds that way to me, montex

Ron Paul cares more about the rights of an american born-living abroad terrorist than he does about the rights of an uninsured taxpaying american citizen

[istanbulite]

04:57 AM on 10/01/2011

Great great post. Death is death, no matter if it is slowly or quickly. Try getting health services
without insurance or cash. The hospital may take you in the beginning, but you will be quickly discharged. Odd how it is difficult for politicians (even if they are doctors) to see their inconsistancies.

[Pollytiques]

12:02 AM on 10/01/2011

Why don't those republicans quit drinking so much and get some sleep. They could carry their extra socks and underwear in the bags under their eyes.

[SpookyAnnya]

12:53 AM on 10/01/2011

or start wars spending a generation of American lives and trillions of dollars. You give up your citizenship when you commit treason. So far Obama has taken out about 30 Al Qaida operatives including OBL I also believe Cheney should be on an international warrant for war crimes.

[EpicLvlCommoner]

11:54 AM on 10/01/2011

They should just terminate Cheney then too. A trial would be expensive and time consuming.

[montex]

01:02 AM on 10/01/2011

So now President Obama is the same a Ted Bundy. That's quite a stretch. Was the freeper site down and you had to come here?

[EpicLvlCommoner]

02:00 AM on 10/01/2011

Yeah, Obama killed waaaay more people than Ted did. Probably cause he didn't have cruise missiles.