Anwar al-Awlaki killed

[Brenus]

“The imperative is to protect your people against terrorist atrocities; the passport and legal rights of a person who has openly declared jihad on you is not the overriding concern.” Interesting reading…

So when UK was protecting the financial man involved in the attack in France (1995, Network of Khaled Khelkal), France would have been allowed to selective killing in the UK territory, or drone attack?

[econ21]

So when UK was protecting the financial man involved in the attack in France (1995, Network of Khaled Khelkal), France would have been allowed to selective killing in the UK territory, or drone attack?

Well, if the UK was like Yemen and David Cameron was suffering 40 degree burns after a terrorist bombing in London, two armored divisions had mutinied against him and much of the country was in open revolt, hundreds of people were dying every month in armed conflict, the financial man was protected by armed insurgents, France had drones and the UK did not, the financial man had planned to bring down airliners over France (after 3000 people died, when 3 airliners crashed into La Défense and Hotel de Brienne), then absolutely, en avant mes amis!

In such circumstances, I am sure we would declare it a Yemeni, I mean British operation.

On the other hand, if Britain were not like Yemen, then I would hope my country would assist in bringing the man to justice without the need for an outside military operation. I am sorry if that did not happen.

But I understand you are an ex-soldier, Brenus: how do you think governments should deal with AQ leaders such as OBL and al-Awlaki who take refuge in failed states? Would you send in drones and SEALS or would you wait for a French judge to issue an extradiction request? How do you understand French (or international) law in these kind of circumstances?

[These are genuine questions, not rhetorical.]

[Ronin]

So when UK was protecting the financial man involved in the attack in France (1995, Network of Khaled Khelkal), France would have been allowed to selective killing in the UK territory, or drone attack?

well...there is no "allowed"..because there is no authority to decide what is and isn´t allowed.
you either have the ability and the power to do something like that without being concerned about the consequences or you don´t.