U.S. Blows Up Yemeni Bad Guys
U.S. military forces (actually, the CIA, it turns out) apparently used a missile to blow up a car in Yemen early today, thereby killing six people, at least one of whom was believed to have been a high-ranking al Qaeda member. Welcome to the doctrine of pre-emption.
November 4th, 2002 at 7:39 pm
Hey! Almost 17% accuracy! Yeah! Let’s send another volley in!
After all, it only matters when AMERICAN civilians are killed, right?
It’s a beautiful contradiction, is it not? How mere SUSPECTS are being killed… “innocent until proven guilty” only matters in some cases I guess.
I’m not some damn hippy, and as I didn’t lose anyone in the sept. 11 incident, I’m sure I’m not as angry/sad as the people who did. But really, does ANYONE condone the killing of SUSPECTS?
Maybe I’m the only sane one left, or maybe expecting that we extend the same rights to those who do crimes against our nation as we do those who do crimes within our nation is a bit too much.
eh, I need a sandwich. And if you want to praise this or flame it go right on ahead — at least I know you’ve read it.
November 5th, 2002 at 12:25 pm
Personally, I think this really sucks, and for reasons that are probably pretty similar to yours (a_stupid_box’s). It’s an action that is entirely consistent with Bush’s handlers’ view of how to deal with the world. It’s a brutally short-term solution, crafted to satisfy the urge to hurt our enemy as much as possible, right now, regardless of what impact that might have on our long-term interests.
It’s a choice between two futures: one in which we assert the right of the strongest power to do whatever it wants, up to and including killing whomever it wants to, wherever and whenever and in whatever manner it wants to, and the other in which we work toward a system where we use something short of missiles (like, say, the rule of law) to solve our disagreements.
The approach we’re now pursuing is the one Ariel Sharon has been pursuing in Israel. It it based on a worldview in which we are at continuous open war with our enemies, and the only peace we will accept is the one in which we stand triumphant atop a mound of their dead bodies. Yes, for right now, it makes it easier for the U.S. to achieve certain ends. But it does so at a terrible cost, one that will be paid (with interest) by ourselves and our descendents.
You’ll note, too, that by turning Bush’s rhetorical flourishes about being at war into a concrete reality, it cements his extraordinary powers as a wartime president, and makes them permanent. We are now officially plummeting down the slippery slope. Having accepted the assertion that we are at war with an enemy that has no visible country or political apparatus, we have at one stroke sacrificed everything about this country that might arguably have once made it special, and worth defending, and in any moral sense superior to terrorists. This war will have no limits, it will never end, and the people who have used it as an excuse to set aside Constitutional limitations on their power will never (willingly) give up what they have taken.
And what they have taken is nothing less than our national soul. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest have done what Osama bin Laden was unable to do: they have destroyed America. Nice going, guys.
November 5th, 2002 at 9:01 pm
Here here, John. I’m glad you managed to see what I was trying to say (too many are the webmasters who block my IP after my writings).
The object of a terrorist act is to create, well, terror. That terror comes from uncertainty — “if THAT _object_ was destroyed, MINE could be!” Uncertainty leads to confusion, which in turn leads to brash actions without any real plan or long-term objective, therefore creating a strategic disadvantage (I play a lot of chess, and random piece trades ALWAYS throw off your opponent).
Now, how do you create a LOT of uncertainty, confusion, and discention (sp?) among the ranks? Get the enemy to abandon what they hold dear — in our case, the constitution.
By getting us to shred our beloved doctrine just a bit, it creates a snowball effect until there’s nothing left.
***While personally I believe the constitution is outdated and needs to be TOTALLY rebuilt from the gound up, it’s painfully obvious that our current leaders are in to position to handle this task. – ed.
So, in agreement with JBC, WE are the ones responsible for beating ourselves, however, this was the terrorists’ goal all along.
As of February when my rent is up, I may be doing my posting from Switzerland if things keep up this way — might be nice to live in a country where the leaders’ heads aren’t up their asses, and where my education is free.
August 24th, 2004 at 12:37 am
well i believe this situation is so fucked up .. mr.bush is running after everyone and killing them for being a Suspect wtf ??? I MEAN how could he then expect his nation to be safe? hes just rising the flame hes adding more gas to the fire… wht happened in sep 11 was sure so sad im an arab i did feel bad cause i know those who died were innocent but i also watch in t.v and see those ppl dying in palestine and iraq and in afghanistan and many other countries… and i am sorry to say that but i really then feel its not fair cuz how could u ppl kill us and not expect us to pay u back i knw its not ur fault its all about hte government but it hurts, though im still aginst wut happend in sep 11 and i really feel sick everytime i remember wut happend but maybe that gave u the chance to taste the meaning of pain that other countries have been tasting :( i dont know bush is just messing everything up and now hes messing it more up when he went in iraq .. and its a HUGE mistake! its like hes gatherng enemies :s anyways i like the american people theyre so nice and i know it has nothing to do with them its all about the “BUSH” lol anyways no hard feelings ijust thought ihave to share this comment :) take care and be safe !
adios !