Opinion of American drone policies

[patrick1]

lol, identifying someone as a terrorist is very different from pulling someone over because they're black or whatever. I mean, I'm somewhat sympathetic to the anti-drone camp, but their arguments are just so mind-numbingly stupid.

Agreed completely. ESPECIALLY the "American citizen" nonsense and trying to drum up sympathy for al-Awlaki.

Why don't you feel sympathy for a completely innocent 16-year-old murdered while eating dinner?

There's a huge difference between that and his father.

Both were US citizens murdered abroad by drones.

It is very callous but:  You lie down with dogs you get fleas.  This is a war. You will have some child soldiers and innocents killed. Awlaki and Co. were engaging the US and its citizens in war. You don't pass up an opportunity to prevent another 9/11 or worse.

[patrick1]

How is killing al-Awlaki different from killing bin Laden?

Bin Laden actually killed people as opposed to posting a blog?

A few things spring to mind
1. Awlaki was much more involved than that operational 2. Bin Laden didn't really kill anyone either if you want to get down to semantics nonsense. 3. should we have waited around until he was successful before we killed him.

[patrick1]

How is killing al-Awlaki different from killing bin Laden?

Bin Laden actually killed people as opposed to posting a blog?

A few things spring to mind
1. Awlaki was much more involved than that operational 2. Bin Laden didn't really kill anyone either if you want to get down to semantics nonsense. 3. should we have waited around until he was successful before we killed him.

As far as I am aware, hiring a hitman is legally considered murder, so I see no reason why financial reimbursement for suicide attackers would be any different. And where do you draw the line with such a Minority Report-esque standard for extrajudicial killing?

Awlaki had his prints on plenty of murders, attempted murders and active plots against America and its citizens at home and abroad. Your characterization of him as some blogger is just wrong. The gov't shouldnt  put forth all of their evidence to the public- that is bad opsec.