Mock Trial

I am in an International Law class.  We were asked to hold a mock trial.  We were assigned roles, I was one of the three attorneys defending America.  We were to defend our actions in killing Anwar al-Awalki whom at the time was located in Yemen. I really enjoy the legal field, and would one day like to go to law school so this trial was an assignment I enjoyed.  The question that was asked was, was it legal for the United States to cross another's air space and deploy a missal via drone and kill a US citizen whom has forcefully fought against the US? In our trial the US won in defending its actions, however in real life what is the answer? I personally, not speaking about the legality of it have mixed feelings as most I would assume.  I think that one could fight on either side of the table and make a valid argument.  I would like to think that the US acted appropriately in keeping our citizens safe from extremists looking to physically harm citizens.  But do we feel justified in this action just because it was the United States against another country? What if it had been two completely different countries, would we feel the same? 

Somalia

Recently we were asked to write a report as well as create a presentation on a country with conflict.  The country I chose to write about was Somalia.  The research was difficult to read, "a war of all against all" as one author described.  The pictures of malnourished mothers nursing malnourished babies.  The conflict is very internal, many groups of people fighting one another for power over the country.  There are many NGO's there trying to help the situation.  One of the interesting points I would like to address is that the UN and America have both at one time entered the country receiving threats from Islamist leaders stating that they would "turn the country into a graveyard for foreign soldiers should peacekeepers be introduced".  So what do we do? America is the "bad guy" not matter what we do.  If we enter their country unwanted (by some) then we illegally enter a country and try to push our way of thinking onto another.  But if we don't enter the country then we are villains because we are sitting back watching innocent civilians die a long and painful death.  I in no way have the answer, it was extremely difficult to see all those pictures of living skeletons.  How do we help? As I was researching I was watching my little one sleep under warm blankets with sweet warm chubby cheeks, thanking the Lord that she was healthy.