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BlueCheese

(2,522 posts)
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 05:00 PM Jun 2014

Administration reveals argument that it could kill US citizen abroad without trial.

From the Guardian:

Complete article here.

Lawyers for the Obama administration, arguing for their ability to kill an American citizen without trial in Yemen, contended that the protection of US citizenship was effectively removed by a key congressional act that blessed a global war against al-Qaida.

Known as the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), the broad and controversial 2001 law played a major role in the legal decision to kill Anwar al-Awlaki, the former al-Qaida propagandist and US citizen, in 2011, according to a redacted memorandum made public on Monday.

"We believe that the AUMF's authority to use lethal force abroad also may apply in appropriate circumstances to a United States citizen who is part of the forces of an enemy authorization within the scope of the force authorization," reads the Justice Department memorandum, written for attorney general Eric Holder on 16 July 2010 and ostensibly intended strictly for Awlaki's case.

My understanding is they revealed this after losing a court battle with the ACLU and the New York Times.

It's beyond time to repeal the AUMF. That was 13 years ago, and has stretched to include all sorts of executive action that I'm sure very few people supported at the time, let alone now.
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Administration reveals argument that it could kill US citizen abroad without trial. (Original Post) BlueCheese Jun 2014 OP
No. No. No. No. No. No. woo me with science Jun 2014 #1
It is a tortured justification. Particularly lacking morningfog Jun 2014 #2
Edited to add link to article. BlueCheese Jun 2014 #3
How nice to have a "Progressive" in the Whitehouse. 1000words Jun 2014 #4
Cue the cheering fan club... HooptieWagon Jun 2014 #5
Do you think if there was a wanted sign put out the person would immediately turn Thinkingabout Jun 2014 #6
I haven't see anythign that prevents .... dirtydickcheney Jun 2014 #7
There's something about infeasibility of capture, I think. BlueCheese Jun 2014 #9
this administration kills lots of people without trial, what's a few americans here n there? nt msongs Jun 2014 #8
This cannot stand. woo me with science Jun 2014 #10
The founding fathers of this country would be leading an armed intervention against this shit IMO. L0oniX Jun 2014 #13
If someone was holed up here in America and could not be reasoned with... randome Jun 2014 #11
Unconscionable. Intolerable. Unconstitutional. woo me with science Jun 2014 #12
kick woo me with science Jun 2014 #14

woo me with science

(32,139 posts)
1. No. No. No. No. No. No.
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 05:05 PM
Jun 2014

I do not recognize this nation.

This is not the action of an American president. This is the behavior of totalitarianism.

Thinkingabout

(30,058 posts)
6. Do you think if there was a wanted sign put out the person would immediately turn
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 05:55 PM
Jun 2014

Themselves in to face trial?

 

dirtydickcheney

(242 posts)
7. I haven't see anythign that prevents ....
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 06:05 PM
Jun 2014

...US citizens from being killed domestically without trial either in this document so far.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
11. If someone was holed up here in America and could not be reasoned with...
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 06:28 PM
Jun 2014

...and if this person threatened to push a button to activate a bomb, do you think lethal force would be authorized here?

I don't see how this is a different situation, really.
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