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Title: Trial By Hit Squad: Why Patriotic Americans Should Be Angry That Bin Laden Was Killed
Source:
CounterPunch
URL Source: http://www.counterpunch.org/foley05032011.html
Published: May 3, 2011
Author: BRIAN J. FOLEY
Post Date: 2011-05-05 15:30:09 by PnbC
Keywords: None
Views: 571
Comments: 51
Why Patriotic Americans Should Be Angry That Bin Laden Was Killed By BRIAN J. FOLEY The widespread jubilation at reports of Bin Laden's death is misplaced. Patriotic Americans should be angry. After 9/11, the United States government shredded our Constitution and took away our rights not be be spied on and not to be tortured and not to be assassinated abroad. Our government built Guantanamo. The goal of destroying our laws was, we were told, to usher in an era of "enhanced interrogation" to get information to prevent terrorist attacks. Instead of killing Bin Laden, the U.S. should have captured and interrogated him. Think how much information we could have gained! If alleged low-level members of Al Qaeda are thought to have information important enough for our government to lock them up at Guantanamo for almost 10 years, then wouldn't it have been smart to ask Bin Laden a few questions instead of shooting him? He's been called the "mastermind" of 9/11 and all things Al Qaeda. If anyone thinks our military couldn't have captured Bin Laden alive and that the killing was somehow necessary, well, they lack faith in our troops. U.S. troops are amazingly well-trained -- the world's best -- and can achieve miraculous results. Perhaps revenge is sweet, but when it comes at the expense of gaining actionable intelligence that could help the U.S. win the ongoing, Constitution-shredding War on Terror, it's a feel-good emotion we can't afford. Brian J. Foley is a law professor. Email him at brian_j_foley@yahoo.com Visit his blog at brianjfoley.net/
Trial By Hit Squad
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 48.
#1. To: PnbC (#0)
Brian! OBL's been dead, and buried, for near a decade now.
Even I knew that. What's up, Brian?
I'm so tired of reading, and listening to, these ham-fisted, meat-headed reports, that I could scream. We are a nation of nincompoops.
i think it's an important point that the writer addresses. Most americans believe binny was just killed. Therefore its a valid point to ask why wasnt he detained & questioned.A thorough examination of these points would lead the clueless to the real truth
Artisan, are you suggesting that this is a nation of LAWS and not a totalitarian state?
if you read my exchange a few posts above with OI you will see that i think it is important for people to question the tactics this govt takes, even if they do not adhere to conspiracy theories. I asked this to military vets a few days ago. since when do soldiers have the discretionary right to commit political assassinations from someone not even armed. That is a valid question to ask, regardless of the trail of abuses which america currently suffers under.
I would agree. People have problems with some of the stands I take on issues but I try to stand on principle. Sometimes standing on principle is hard and distasteful but necessary in my book. A lot of "conservatives" throw rights out the window just as readily as "liberals" when it comes to forcing people to live their chosen life style. Killing OBL, assuming it is real for the moment, is clearly an ends justifying the means which is NEVER right. NEVER! And yes people should be asking themselves if this is proper use of our military and now that precedence has been set, how do we know it won't be used against us?
Waco, Ruby Ridge. The precedent has already been set.
True, you are correct there.
lol.......
Here's my latest thesis-in-progress: UBL was hiding in a compound that, if you look at it properly, was nothing less than a glorified PRISON meant to protect him from the rest of the world. That's right, the SEAL's broke into a prison just to execute the prisoner-of-honor.
I would have to agree with that.
There are no replies to Comment # 48. End Trace Mode for Comment # 48.
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#3. To: Lod (#1)
OBL's been dead, and buried, for near a decade now.
#4. To: BTP Holdings, 4 (#3)
#6. To: Lod, BTP Holdings (#4)
#23. To: Artisan (#6)
Therefore its a valid point to ask why wasnt he detained & questioned.
#24. To: abraxas (#23)
#26. To: Artisan, abraxas, Original_Intent, Eric Stratton, X-15, wudidiz, Lod (#24)
if you read my exchange a few posts above with OI you will see that i think it is important for people to question the tactics this govt takes, even if they do not adhere to conspiracy theories. I asked this to military vets a few days ago. since when do soldiers have the discretionary right to commit political assassinations from someone not even armed. That is a valid question to ask, regardless of the trail of abuses which america currently suffers under.
#36. To: farmfriend (#26)
and now that precedence has been set, how do we know it won't be used against us?
#38. To: X-15 (#36)
Waco, Ruby Ridge. The precedent has already been set.
#40. To: farmfriend, X-15, Original_Intent, Eric Stratton, James D, wudidiz (#38)
#41. To: abraxas, farmfriend, X-15, Original_Intent, Eric Stratton, James Deffenbach, wudidiz (#40)
#48. To: X-15 (#41)
That's right, the SEAL's broke into a prison just to execute the prisoner-of-honor.
Replies to Comment # 48.