Targeted Killings: The Death of Anwar al-Awlaki
BY MICAH ZENKO, Council on Foreign Relations

The government of Yemen’s defense ministry announced that U.S.-born Islamist cleric and major al-Qaeda figure, Anwar al-Awlaki, was killed by a drone strike in Yemen. It is believed that the attack was carried out by the United States. Al-Awlaki was a leading recruiter for al-Qaeda and has been linked to terrorist incidents in the United States, including the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009, a Christmas-day plot in 2009 to blow up a U.S. bound passenger aircraft, and a failed bombing in Times Square in May 2010. Whilst the killing of al-Awlaki eliminates an inspirational and charismatic voice of al-Qaeda, this targeted killing will most likely not make much difference in reducing the ability of al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups in mobilizing, recruiting, and planning terrorist operations.