Two Wrongs are Not Right.

I'm not sure when America started believing two wrong make a right?

After 9/11 we certainly did, starting two wars in our anger over being attacked. One passed the "ok" test, if war is ever ok, on a slim end around technicality.

The other, as unjust as Iraq's invasion of Kuwait a decade before.

No, we've long believed two wrongs make a right, even though it goes against anything the Bible states. And you know, we are a country founded on Christian values.

The "war against terror," much like any other war, has proven once again why you don't want to fight wars. Stories about war are nice and simple. There are good guys and bad guys. Heros and villians. Good versus evil.

Lies.

Real war is horrific. Instead of dark and light its mostly a muddled field of gray, occasionally stained with the blood of innocents and warriors alike.

True war is murky, and try as "civilized" man might to put rules towards it, they are cast away in the heat of battle. Adrenaline fueled brains reacting on impulse and fear. The basest of human emotions bared daily, causing scars both physical and mental on all normal people who touch it.

Do not think I'm attempting to equate us with those who attack civilians around the world. The cowards who kill and maim in some twisted believe their "god" desires this.

However, I cannot and will not be silent when my country does wrongs. President Obama ordered as singular a wrong as possibly any President has: he ordered the cold blooded murder of an American citizen.

Don't think I find Anwar al-Awlaki a sympathetic figure. The man incited violence and hatred that has contributed to scores if not hundreds of deaths.

However, what kind of a country do we live in where the President can order a citizen of this country killed, without trial, without due process, without any legal proceeding whatsoever, merely because of "treasonous" acts against our nation?

If we are supposed to be an example to the world, an image of what nations should be (and trust me, I don't think we are that at all) what does this show? That due process, a judicial system, laws, are nice? EXCEPT when things are dirty and inconvient. Then its ok to just kill the person because well, they are "bad."

I'm not a crazy talking conspiracy nut now. I don't think government death squads are going to be formed hunting down dissenters. No reliving of the "Red Scare" only with suspected insurgents gunned down instead of taking to court.

But the precedent, to say nothing of the havoc we've been creating in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, set by this is bad. Very bad.

Being President has to be one of the most difficult jobs on earth. However, no matter how difficult it was to say yes to the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, apparently saying "no" was even harder. President Obama needed to say no. He needed to uphold the ideal that American law is sufficient (though we still kill our citizens yearly in a highly inequitable legal system) no matter how imperfect it may be.

Killing begets more killing. While a nation cannot turn the other cheek, it does not have to respond to a slap in the face with a machine gun.

I don't know where or when it will end, but a line needs to be drawn somewhere.