Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

[bronconick]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Morons. At least we had the sense to stay inside of submarines or aircraft when sparring with the Soviets over the Arctic circle.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

With allies like these...

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Now if someone writing in The New Yorker finds our policy of targeted assassination unsettling, I pay more attention than if the same article had appeared somewhere else. I know that's a logical fallacy, yet somehow the source sometimes does make a difference as to how we perceive the same news....

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/the-presidents-kill-list.html

What is wrong with the President sitting in a room, looking at lists and portraits of people—a Somali man, a seventeen-year-old girl, an American citizen—and deciding whom to kill? That, according to long and troubling articles in both the Times and Newsweek, is a job Barack Obama has assigned himself. His aides, notably John Brennan, his counter-terrorism adviser, portray it as a matter of taking responsibility—if we are going to assassinate someone, or call in a drone strike to take out a camp in Yemen, the President should make the call—as if our only alternative were some sort of rogue operation, with generals or C.I.A. agents shooting at will. But responsibility involves accountability, which is something, in this case, that appears to be badly lacking. Obama has not taken on a burden, but instead has given the Presidency a novel power.


The “kill list” story is a reminder of how much language matters, and how dangerous it is when the plain meaning of a word is ignored [emphasis added]

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/the-presidents-kill-list.html#ixzz1wSWJWYpm

 

[joecct]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Wasn't there a Watergate era Executive Order that the US Government could not assassinate any head of state? Has anyone heard of a finding that the targeting by drones is in the best interest of the USA?

 

[bronconick]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Wasn't there a Watergate era Executive Order that the US Government could not assassinate any head of state? Has anyone heard of a finding that the targeting by drones is in the best interest of the USA?

Carter did that, I think. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it's been quietly overturned by a Finding that it doesn't apply to terrorist organizations/their supporters or another Executive Order flipping it completely. It's not something you'd publicly announce for obvious reasons.

Hell, we tried taking Saddam out the day of the invasion so it was probably overturned in late September 2001.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Carter did that, I think. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it's been quietly overturned by a Finding that it doesn't apply to terrorist organizations/their supporters or another Executive Order flipping it completely. It's not something you'd publicly announce for obvious reasons.

Hell, we tried taking Saddam out the day of the invasion so it was probably overturned in late September 2001.

A Commander-in-Chief is a legitimate military target when you're in a declared state of war. Oh, wait...

 

[bronconick]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

A Commander-in-Chief is a legitimate military target when you're in a declared state of war. Oh, wait...

Pssh. Declaring war went out of style with propeller driven aircraft.

Probably just as well. We'd be declaring war via txtspeak or Twitter by now.

"LOL I zergrush u now Irak! <3 USA."

 

[Kepler]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

"LOL I zergrush u now Irak! <3 USA."

This is so sad and so funny at the same time.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Now if someone writing in The New Yorker finds our policy of targeted assassination unsettling, I pay more attention than if the same article had appeared somewhere else. I know that's a logical fallacy, yet somehow the source sometimes does make a difference as to how we perceive the same news....

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/the-presidents-kill-list.html

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/the-presidents-kill-list.html#ixzz1wSWJWYpm

The thought of this actually makes me respect the halfrican in chief a little more. The more targeted assasinations of scumbags, the better.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Now if someone writing in The New Yorker finds our policy of targeted assassination unsettling, I pay more attention than if the same article had appeared somewhere else. I know that's a logical fallacy, yet somehow the source sometimes does make a difference as to how we perceive the same news....

Nope. The only fallacy here is the belief that it's a fallacy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)

 

[Kepler]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

The thought of this actually makes me respect the halfrican in chief a little more. The more targeted assasinations of scumbags, the better.

If they're American citizens I have a big problem with it. If they aren't American citizens I would expect whatever country they are citizens of to have a big problem with it.

It's not just targeted assassinations, it's a complete absence of due process. I don't want anybody being sole judge, jury, and executioner unless it's me.

This is one of those convenient-but-immoral things that it's going to take a stronger person than Obama to stop. Unfortunately practically the entire top tier of American politics, including his Fall opponent, are far, far weaker people.

 

[joecct]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

If they're American citizens I have a big problem with it. If they aren't American citizens I would expect whatever country they are citizens of to have a big problem with it.

It's not just targeted assassinations, it's a complete absence of due process. I don't want anybody being sole judge, jury, and executioner unless it's me.

This is one of those convenient-but-immoral things that it's going to take a stronger person than Obama to stop. Unfortunately practically the entire top tier of American politics, including his Fall opponent, are far, far weaker people.

There is something about war by drone and/or war by robot that unsettles me. One of the deterrents to war is its horror. When you take away the stench by killing the bad guys from thousands of miles away, it becomes a video game and less horrific and easier to do.

Killing should be the last resort of the nation-state. Making it easy and antiseptic to one side is wrong.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

There is something about war by drone and/or war by robot that unsettles me. One of the deterrents to war is its horror. When you take away the stench by killing the bad guys from thousands of miles away, it becomes a video game and less horrific and easier to do.

Killing should be the last resort of the nation-state. Making it easy and antiseptic to one side is wrong.

Don't worry about it.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

There is something about war by drone and/or war by robot that unsettles me. One of the deterrents to war is its horror. When you take away the stench by killing the bad guys from thousands of miles away, it becomes a video game and less horrific and easier to do.

Killing should be the last resort of the nation-state. Making it easy and antiseptic to one side is wrong.

There's a much more effective way to accomplish this than eliminating the use of drones. Establish mandatory national service.

 

[joecct]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

There's a much more effective way to accomplish this than eliminating the use of drones. Establish mandatory national service.

Agreed. But the one caveat would be that it does not have to be in the armed forces. I am much more of in favor of a Starship Troopers requirement.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Agreed. But the one caveat would be that it does not have to be in the armed forces. I am much more of in favor of a Starship Troopers requirement.

Co-Ed Naked showers?

 

[joecct]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Co-Ed Naked showers?

Read the book, burn the movie.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Read the book, burn the movie.

From my personal experience, it is much more rewarding to see boobs than to read about them.

 

[MattS]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

Read the book, burn the movie.

And then read The Forever War immediately afterwards. It will give one a great contrasting perspective on war and service.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Global War on Terror III: Dick Cheney's Hague ICC Vacation

And then read The Forever War immediately afterwards. It will give one a great contrasting perspective on war and service.

I like that book.

The first third of Starship Troopers is good (the "self-teaching" part); then it goes to StupidTown.

Edit: big brain fart, I was thinking of Battlefield Earth! I've never read Starship Troopers.