US Political assassinations

[vlvtelvis]

blah blah blah blah

I'm wondering . . .

How low do you people think we can go and still have the right to claim that what they did to us is immoral?

 

[shadowsource]

Do you think killing BL et al is immoral?

blah blah blah blah

I'm wondering . . .

How low do you people think we can go and still have the right to claim that what they did to us is immoral?

 

[Oliver Clozoff]

I'm curious about that remark too, Shadowsource.

Elvis, are you implying that killing Bin Laden would be "stooping to their level"?

If that's your argument, I'd love to read it.

 

[*Lazer*]

Let us all take a deep breath and THINK

Did not the UN grant article five to the US? It is my understanding the bombings were acts of war. I think your contention that this is an assassination is untrue. It is a acknowledged fact that he is now considered a war criminal. Indeed he has declared war on the US many times in the press. I think he needs to be brought to trial as do those who had any association direct or indirect with this atrocity. You are beginning to sound a bit paranoid to me.

 

[shadowsource]

Re: Let us all take a deep breath and THINK

You are beginning to sound a bit paranoid to me.

You talkin' to me?

 

[morninggirl5]

Just to set the record straight, there is no law passed by Congress and signed by a president prohibiting our intelligence agencies from participating in an assassination. The following is contained in an Executive Order from President Reagan in 1981. The original prohibition on assassination was issued by Gerald Ford. I'm not sure what changes Reagan made in this whole intelligence order, but the prohibition on assassination remains.

Read it and you'll see that assassination is prohibited period. Anyone. So, yes, Bush would have to revoke this Executive Order before any of our intelligence agents could be involved in an assassination.



2.11 Prohibition on Assassination.

No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.12 Indirect Participation.

No agency of the Intelligence Community shall participate in or request any person to undertake activities forbidden by this Order.


http://www.tscm.com/EO12333.html



Also, NATO has invoked article 5 not the UN.


I'm just curious, but what do any of you think will be accomplished by granting a trial to Bin Laden? Give him a platform to spew his hatred and to try to recruit more terrorists? I don't think anyone in Washington really wants him to be turned over, send in our Delta Force to extract him and when his bodyguards resist, use deadly force.

 

[shadowsource]

A trial -

would be fine. Our system could take it. And I believe that we could convict him, even if he hired Johnny Cochrane. The recent trial of the Embassy bombers featured a disgruntled former employee of bin Laden's, and he had a lot to say. I think a trial would showcase our system relatively well, and I would hope he'd spend life in prison, solitary. The mullah behind the first WTC bombing is imprisoned upstate.

 

[*Lazer*]

Why give him a trial? Because we are a nation that believes in the rights of an individual regardless of their transgression. To dehumanize this man is wrong. He is a criminal but I do not want him hung by a rabid mob. I want him to face the families of the victims. I want him to have to put faces on those thousands he killed. I want him to understand how in spite of all his attempts to incite us to act rashly and unfairly he has failed. I want him to understand he is just a stinky fart in the storm and the US people are a hurricane.

 

[RisiaSkye]

..

.

 

[RisiaSkye]

Re: Trial...

Bringing Bin Laden to trial accomplishes several things.

First, we get to hold ourselves (Americans and current allies) as above the savage and ugly acts of BinLaden's crew.

Second, it stages a public ritual, one which starts the grieving and healing process--it makes us feel civilized, justified, and freed of the responsibility of holding on to the emotions of the orginal events. Bad guy's punished, good guys set things right, everyone starts to move forward again.

Third, it potentially spares the world a devastating war of global implications and Crusade-level fanaticism.

Fourth, it actually argues against the hateful image of America that Bin Laden and others like him use to recruit their people. The evil capitalist aggressors they're promised while suffering in crippling poverty instead turn organized and discriminating, not lashing out at the entire populace of an area because of the actions of some.

Finally, it doesn't negate the ability and desire to kill him. Instead, it gives it public sanction, even among the pacifistic.

Of course, actually bringing him to trial is likely impossible.