Our Seams
Mike,
Interesting posts, which unfortunately give me this nightmarish vision of a bunch of a lawyers sitting around a very nice wooden table in a room with a high ceiling, large windows with a nice view and an overall classically designed room that gives an air of sosphistication, debating the legal issues concerning our transnational irregular foes. Of course at the same time in ghettos, deserts, mountains and jungles around the world our military, lawmen and covert operatives are out in the field risking their lives to prevent another attack on America with one or both hands tied behind their backs by the lawyers that do not recognize the reality of the threat today.
We obviously have findings that allow us to conduct targeted killings as demonstrated numerous times in Pakistan and elsewhere (Somalia for one example). I think targeted killings should be pursued more aggressively, but more covertly and surgical when possible. The weapon of choice shouldn't automatically be a UAV with a hellfire missile in most cases due to the fact that innocent civilians are killed, and in most cases it is not acceptable morally or politically. Yet this is one of many examples where desire (a surgical kill) bumps up against reality. Intelligence on many targets is fleeting, you have to act fast (no time for long philosophical discussions), so one way you can get there quickly in hostile territory is to fly a UAV over, get a lock in on your targeted site and launch. Frequently effective, but one can only hope there is adult leadership in the kill chain of command. Preferably an operator with ground experience that understands what death is, what it looks like and the repercussions, versus an air force officer who hasn't ever been closer to a battlefied than being 10,000 feet above it, and his/her metric for success is simply dropping a bomb on the right spot without considering the effects on people or the overall operation.
We inutatively know that we can't allow wingnuts to have a safehaven, especially one we created with our own laws. In the end the government must remain legitimate to its people, and if they don't take all necessary measures to protect their people they'll be removed. Governments are obligated to conduct targeted killings. Of course the left leaning media will oppose these attacks, and pundits will discuss for hours on radio and T.V. how these activities undermine our society by giving government too much power, but the tone conversation would change very quickly if that kid was successful in destroying our commerial airline on Christmas and slaughtering over 200 civilians from many countries. Why didn't the government prevent it?
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