Monday Matters- Marking Period 2, Week 5 Synthesis

Before, I did research on the case of Anwar al-Awlaki, I wasn't really sure about my opinion, and though the process of reading different viewpoints, I found that I could sympathize with both sides. I think that anti-terrorism measures are necessary, but I'm not sure to what extent they justify acts that may break with America's founding ideals. Anwar al-Awlaki's death as an American citizen is unfortunate, and I think that it would have been better if he got his right of due process, but I don't think that we can retrospectively judge events that are ambiguous in details, nor should we too harshly criticize the Obama administration for measures of national security. However, action needs to be taken, to more precisely define the exact powers that the executive branch has in these kinds of situations, so that something like this doesn't happen again. I do believe that there are circumstances that justify killing an American citizen, however in Anwar al-Awlaki's case I'm not sure whether that it was justified or not. Carefulness, thought, and time must however be put into these delicate decisions. However, in the case of Anwar al-Awlaki's son Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, I am more sure that his death was wrong (despite his proximity to more justifiable targets). Nothing justifies the drone-strike killing of a 16 year-old, much less a 16 year-old American citizen, and I am dismayed that there has been much less press concerning Abdulrahman al-Awlaki's death, and the lack of an official response from the Obama administration concerning this tragedy.