Well, now we know why Obama agreed to extend Mueller’s term in office even though he came in under Bush.
First let me say that nobody has to convince me that it was OK for the “laws” to kill Bonnie & Clyde, but I do believe that there is general agreement that the gentlemen responsible shot first, with any attempt at an arrest coming afterwards. But that’s OK by me because I agree with Travis McGee that it was an “exceptional situation.” And while the two were wanted for various crimes, including murder, I would remind all that there were no trials or convictions.
But my point is that “exceptional situations” are all too possible in the future. Inevitable, I suspect, given the nature of our enemies.
Now there are supposed to be safeguards in place to prevent abuse of these new rules. The “three criteria” which Holder talks about. The first two of these are, from the article....
“...the U.S. government has determined, after a thorough and careful review, that the individual poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States; second, capture is not feasible........”
OK, that seems to me to pretty much cover Bonnie & Clyde right there if you replace “United States” with people in general. Does it worry me that this could be abused? Yes. On the other hand, I kinda suspect that the police sometimes abused their authority back in the 1930s too.
Can you not imagine a situation similar to B & C involving terrorists? How about this....a pilot with a history of anti-government (remember this could be a “militia” guy or it could be some eco-extremist) activities is seen loading explosives aboard an airplane. He then takes off and flies in the direction of New York or Chicago or name your favorite city. He doesn’t respond to radio traffic. Would we not have the right to take this guy out?
Remember that we now know that Cheney gave an order to shoot down Flight 93. Should this have been illegal?
And please, rather than poke holes in my example, deal with the general idea. If I fail in giving an airtight example it is probably because I lack the imagination or knowledge, not because no such circumstance is possible...