I'd have to do more research, but believe it's a bit more complicated. Armed ununiformed combatants behind enemy lines can be executed as spies, yes, but as you note Mohammed was apprehended in Pakistan (i.e. not behind US lines, to the extent such concepts even exist here; this is not a war, any more than the Branch-Davidians were involved in a Second American Civil War. )

Executing accused criminals, war or otherwise, without due process violates the spirit and letter of our laws, both those unique to us and to which we have submitted under treaty (summarily and unilaterally canceling treaties isn't terribly legal either, even it were smart, hence the six month lag between announcing we were leaving the ABM treaty and actually doing so. ) Some countries execute the accused based solely on belief, with no more than perfunctory attention to facts or proving them. Coincidentally, a disproportionate number of their citizens are willing to fly jets into skyscrapers because America doesn't do that and they think we should.

It certainly seems that way, and almost from the start that's disturbed me more than anything Al Qaeda can dream. "The terrorists hate our freedom" well, maybe, but they can't take it: We have to give it away. And when we go to war in defense of the rule of law, then selectively follow our own laws, we've gone a long way toward doing their job for them.

You approach the same terrible trap that breeds the terrorist and/or genocidal: The view some people are so reprehensible anything done to them is justified. You're asserting, in essence, that all men are NOT created equal, NOT endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that, even were the preceding not so, among them are NOT life nor liberty. That does threaten the American Way, yes.

Do you really not care if we're better than them? If you genuinely believe it OK for us to do to Al Qaeda what they did to us on 911 we have a very real problem, and if that view predominates in America, the WORLD has a very real problem, because once America declares someone an enemy we have both the means and the will to do whatever we please to them without repercussion. It staggers me, really; I must, NEED, to believe you spoke in haste, because if you honestly don't care if the United States of America is any better than thugs who murder women and children because they lack the balls to fight soldiers, I can only hope you represent a VERY small minority. Though, once again, there are several Mid-Eastern countries where you'd feel right at home.

I truly do not comprehend the disconnect when people say ending terrorism is so important we must commit it. We'll wipe out Al Qaeda, Hammas, Hezbollah and all the rest--and their legacy will live on in us, as we go around slaughtering anyone we decide is "wrong" or "bad" without any regard to their rights, and call it "the war on terror" and "defense of freedom. " Maybe you don't care if we're better, but you should, because if that mindset becomes as pervasive here as in many Islamic states (which, once again, is the terrorists goal) you won't have to worry about Al Qaeda anymore: Your next door neighbors are far closer, and probably disagree with you a lot more often. Oh, and it would also incidentally make Al Qaedas accusations against us valid rather than the shameless slander they are. You want us to embrace all the lies our worst foes have spread about us, every disgusting falsehoods the Nazis, the Soviets, and the terrorists concocted about American brutality and inhumanity you want to make reality. No.

So I guess the question is whether your commitment is to freedom, or just being the most prolific murderer. The latter isn't worth fighting (much less dying) for in my book. Either way, there are plenty of countries like that in which you're welcome to live with my blessing (though the people who share your views on what is and isn't OK to do certain people may feel differently, but that's the nature of that beast: If you insist on being in a mob, try to be in the biggest one. ) There are precious few countries like this one, and plenty of people at home and abroad trying to make the US more like Iran; they don't need your help.

This, I fear, is rapidly heading in unproductive directions though. Bottom line: If they've done wrong (of which I have little doubt) prove it in court and sentence them accordingly. But when we start talking about executing people without trials we're no longer addressing what they've done (indeed, we're deliberately ignoring it as irrelevant) and instead addressing whom they ARE. This is not a country that executes people for whom they are, and I pray it never will be. The moment we reduce this to "well, it was a good idea, but he should've gone after radical Muslims instead of Jews, gypsies and gays" I lose interest, followed by the contents of my stomach.