Sir, – I have just read about the execution of the radical Islamist Anwar al-Awlaki. It appears the US has assassinated a US citizen for exercising freedom of speech (World News, October 1st). Fair enough, he did call his own country an axis of evil and his speeches did inspire murder tragedy and mayhem. But now we are being warned that his death might be avenged. Thus we are being warned that his death makes us ever more insecure – a pyrrhic victory if ever there was one. Isn’t the thought of a killer called “drone” chilling? – Yours, etc,