Both JWZ and BoingBoing point us to this post about a Freedom of Information request filed surrounding the assassination, by us, of US citizen Anwar al-Awlaki.
The source blog’s title is worth noting: “For Christmas, Your Government Will Explain Why It’s Legal to Kill You” — except, of course, that it won’t do that, either.
Here’s their summary, quoted in full:
Summary:
- The government dropped a bomb on a U.S. citizen,
- who, though a total dick and probably a criminal, may have been engaged only in propaganda,
- which, though despicable, is generally protected by the First Amendment;
- it did so without a trial or even an indictment (that we know of),
- based at least in part on evidence it says it has but won’t show anyone,
- and on a legal argument it has apparently made but won’t show anyone,
- and the very existence of which it will not confirm or deny;
- although don’t worry, because the C.I.A. would never kill an American without having somebody do a memo first;
- and this is the “most transparent administration ever”;
- currently run by a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
I’d really love for someone to explain to me why I shouldn’t be utterly terrified by this.
Ten reasons you will not be bombed and therefore should not be terrified:
1) What kind of boob would bomb an affable chap like you?
2) Because I have every confidence that you will not be bombed.
3) You’re just not the bombable type.
4) They’re too busy bombing other exceedingly bombable people.
5) Save your seething hatred for King’s X, to the best of my knowledge you have not committed any bombable offenses.
6) They might miss and hit George H.W. Bush. They’re not going to take that risk.
7) Because you ARE the bomb.
8) Any bombing of you could be construed as “Messing With Texas”, and brother, you just Don’t Mess With Texas.
9) Mrs. Heathen simply wouldn’t put up with it. She’d throw the bomb back, and that would be the end of that.
10) They’d never hear the end of it from Sheila Jackson Lee- another unacceptable risk.