America must uphold the rule of law

The killing of Anwar Al Awlaki, a leading figure in the operations of Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, is another major success for the Obama administration's war against terror. Al Awlaki was killed on Friday while he was travelling in north Yemen, and this killing comes after several other killings including that of Attiyah Abdul Rahman, who had became Al Qaida's chief planner after Osama Bin Laden was killed.

Obama has been strangely quiet about his administration's successes. The Democrats have done what George W. Bush's Republicans failed to do: they have used intelligence to great effect, found Al Qaida leaders, positioned lethal force, and killed them in substantial numbers. Obama has been much more successful in this war than his fire-eating predecessor.

But Obama needs to clean up the legal authority for the American armed forces' actions. Bizarrely, the administration has not used the US commander in chief's inherent constitutional authority to defend the US, but instead has used the resolution rushed through Congress in September 2001 authorising the president to use force against "nations, organisations, or persons" involved in the September 11 attacks, "in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the US".

These sweeping powers do not acknowledge any geographical limit, and give Obama the authority to kill anyone, anywhere. He seems to be able to loose off missiles wherever he likes, so the next US attack could be in London or Paris, or even Manhattan. It also allows him to attack anyone, including American citizens; Al Awlaki's American passport did not bring him any rights. This dangerous piece of legislation should be revoked, and Obama should return the US armed forces to their normal jurisdiction. The rule of law should be paramount for the American president and commander in chief.