The government should have stripped him of his citizenship when he declared war and/or took up arms against the U.S.
But it didn't. John, I completely understand your point, but believing that he renounced his citizenship through his actions and actually having citizenship revoked are not the same thing here. The guy was born here, lived here, left to return with his parents to Yemen, and returned here to attend higher education - where, I might add, he was likely radicalized against the United States by our very own anti-American university professors. He returned to Yemen, and began preaching radical Islamic jihad against America, but he did so as an American. I have seen no account claiming that he ever "took up arms" as has been alleged here. He propagandized, and served as a spiritual catalyst. He gave aid and comfort to the enemy, otherwise known as Treason.
But he did all of these things as a US citizen, whether we believe his citizenship should have been revoked by his actions or not.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m glad he’s dead. I’m not defending him in any way.
As am I. And again, I'm not sure I see another answer than the action taken. Let him live and continue? That doesn't seem wise or moral. But killing him presents constitutional issues. Perhaps this is an instance where the US constitution did not provide us with a clear answer.
I’m very worried about a slippery slope, though. Haven’t we all heard the constant drumbeat of Tea Party members described in the media and by some elected officials as “violent”, “racist”, and “economic terrorists”?
I’ve said before that I believe there is a concerted effort to dehumanize Americans who oppose the government’s policies (opposition to Obama = racism). This could lead to a very ugly place.
Exactly. WE are a threat to national security, according to THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
The government chose to kill a citizen whose death would garner no sympathy, and whose killing would be almost universally lauded. His actual death is uncontroversial. But they killed a citizen. Their stated justification is that he was a threat to national security. They have described you and I in the same way.