During the Revolutionary War era, it was not considered sporting to shoot enemy officers in battle. Now they are a sniper’s first target. Why should be drop Hellfires on underlings and henchmen, but not the boss of the terrorists worldwide?
You are correct, I have to repeat a post I made to another thread a few minutes ago.
You're mischaracterizing the circumstances. bin Laden was at the very least in strategic command, likely in operational command of an organization, yes, a terrorist organization comprised of illegal combatants including himself, with which we were at war. He was a combatant, and could be killed on sight. As was Admiral Yamamoto. If the objective was to kill him, as we killed British officers during the revolution, so be it.That doesn't mean the military can issue orders to kill you and me. Amongst the many problems I see in the reporting and discussion of this successful operation is the implication that somehow it was a domestic police operation. Which gives rise to the absurd references to assassination, it bothers me too. I could make a long list of enemy commanders over the centuries America would have loved to have killed had the opportunity presented itself. I'm glad we were successful this time.
This isn't political correctness or incorrectness, it's ignorance of history, understandable given the state of the media post-Vietnam. We killed an enemy commander on the field of his choosing.
What really bothers me is that we're not addressing an underlying problem.
This operation was the result of years of intelligence gathering, which along the way prevented other attacks, and resulted in the demise of many of our enemies.
Kudus to Obama for authorizing a high risk mission which could have ended in disaster or embarassment. That's what leaders do, and I'm glad he did it.
Were it not for the policies of the Bush administration, college kids would have had to find another reason to party Sunday night.
As we speak I suspect the top dozen Taliban/al Qaida leaders are on the move, thus vulnerable. Kill them, fine, but capture, which hasn't been the Obama way, might provide future benefits. Presuming they don't have to be mirandized, rather can be legally subjected to intense interrogation. And the interrogators don't have to fear prosecution. It's time for Holder to end that. And should a Seal Team member bloody a terrorists lip, he doesn't have to fear a Courts Martial.
It would be good for the nation of our President could revel in victory by recognizing the error of his ways, and perhaps sow the seeds of future success'.