How can water boarding be a war crime but assassinating an American citizen isok?

You missed the detail about the person in question was a terrorist. That's kind of an important detail.

This is actually a pretty good question since the people who were water boarded were supposedly terrorists as well. The torture of prisoners is a war crime, not just by U.S. law but international law as well. The murder of U.S. citizens is also a crime when done by the U.S. government. The only argument justifying his assassination is that Anwar al-Awlaki had removed himself from feasible apprehension by the military and U.S. law enforcement and presented himself as a continuing and grave risk to other U.S. citizens. Assassination was the only viable method of removing that risk. The prisoners who were tortured were in U.S. custody.

Because once you take up arms against the government you are no longer protected by the constitution.

He was on the kill or capture list since 2009 if he wanted to be captured he could have surrendered at any embassy, otherwise he takes the same risk as any other person fighting in a war.

I can't help but think that, had a conservative politician been responsible for the death of this terrorist, you wouldn't be complaining. Conservatives don't mind executing Americans within the United States, but killing a terrorist who hasn't been in America for years is unacceptable to you?

You could ask the same thing about any war casualty.

Are you REALLY naive enough to think that the US has NEVER ambushed unsuspecting enemy combatants???

Grow up.

just because obama is a democrat doesnt mean hes liberal nor does it mean all liberals support him, ofcourse assassinating anyone is wrong

different laws for different countries