Justice Stevens says bin Laden killing legally justified

[hack89]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has voiced support for the killing of al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces, saying it was legally justified.

In remarks Thursday evening at his alma mater, Northwestern University, the 91-year-old former justice said the order by President Barack Obama for the covert mission by U.S. Navy SEALs was "to remove an enemy who had been trying every day to attack the United States," according to two people who attended a symposium and dinner that was closed to the media.

Stevens said based on his knowledge of the facts, "I haven't the slightest doubt it was entirely appropriate for American forces to act" as they did. "It was not merely to do justice and avenge September 11."

Before retiring, Stevens had been a consistent supporter of limited rights for terror suspects in U.S. custody overseas to challenge their detention in federal courts. In the first terrorism case to arise in the high court from the 9/11 attacks, Stevens said foreign-born terror suspects captured abroad and held at a Navy-run prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, did have some basic rights.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/13/scotus.stevens.bin.laden/index.html?hpt=T2

[tekisui]

1. I have long respected Stevens.

And, I agree with him here. But, my issue is what comes next. Who else? Where else and for what reason?

Also, the how.

[mahannah]

2. "It was not merely to do justice..."

By what definition of "justice" was this execution accomplished?

[pasto76]

3. we all dont live in your rose colored world

this man had admitted to orchestrating the Sept 11 attacks. He was an active, international criminal and terrorist. He was very much an enemy of your way of life. I'm all for law and order - my job as a sergeant was enforcing standards and regs. OBL was a special case, a special situation. Dont lose any sleep because he was shot in the head.

Your american concept of "justice" doesn't extend very far outside the US borders. In most of the world, and according to most of the world's population, this was in fact "justice". The people inspired by OBL would and will gladly fucking cut off your head, the heads of your families and everyone you know, just to get some airtime on network TV. OBL and his ilk are very much like rabid dogs and the manson family rolled into one. They have their own ideals and concepts, and you breathing is a major offense to them.

You cant mix apples and automotive parts. Going to his level would have meant carpet bombing that neighborhood. Going with your "ideals" we would have brought him to the US to stand trial. We met somewhere in the middle - ground troops, close quarters and NO US casualties. I really wonder why anyone is not OK with that.

sgt p

[Lucky Luciano]

5. It boggles the mind. Most of DU is with you 100%. nt

[pnwmom]

11. By any definition. n/t

[izquierdista]

12. Justice = retribution

When the wronged party is doing the defining.







And when you really don't want to put up with having to put on a trial.

[naaman fletcher]

17. Were you against,

bombing German command centers in world war 2? just curious.

[Keith Bee]

4. Hey, what the Hell else do you expect from such a right-winger?

:sarcasm:

[Gregorian]

6. As long as we don't mind Pakistani forces coming to America and killing people here.

This is the side I haven't heard anyone mention. What would Stevens think of that? Would that be ok with him? If not, then why not? Can one have it both ways? That would be a bit of convoluted logic to try and justify.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Can't have it both ways.

If any of our people acted as terrorists and tried killing their people then they would be justified. Provided they don't kill anyone else unnecessarily just because they were in the way. The difference most likely would be that our govt would more likely arrest and prosecute them. Or send them over to the country that they acted against if they weren't US citizens.

If we were at war with another country and their citizens were actively fighting I can see the need to respond aggressively both offensively and defensively. And there would be innocent casualties but the level at which they die would have to be based on the type of action. Offensively there should be fewer casualties of bystanders than by reacting in defensive mode. A terrorist mode of combat would be more in line with responding to IRA in Ireland.

[totodeinhere]

10. If Bin Laden had been hiding out in the USA I would have had no problem with Pakistani

forces coming here and killing him.

[Gregorian]

15. That's pretty trusting. How about Saudi Arabia? It could get real dodgy.

Especially if you looked just like Bin Laden.

Would they follow some guideline, or would they just show up and throw you on a plane, drug you, and then put you in front of an angry crowd with stones?

I am not afraid enough to allow lynch mobs into my country.

The safest I feel is when the rule of law is followed.

The bottom line is, we don't know what these guys are doing. Not even our own. Wikileaks has begun to show us that. For all we know Bin Laden was hired by the CIA to do his work. It's just a thought. And you and I do not know if it's true or not. He was on the CIA payroll, so it's not totally far fetched. Especially when you look at the PNAC.

[totodeinhere]

16. Well, I don't think that our forces are any more benign than those from

Saudi Arabia that you mentioned or elsewhere. After all, we have tortured and done other nefarious things just as they have.

As far as the 9/11 conspiracy theories go, I trust Barack Obama to do the right thing if there is anything to that, which I doubt. But if Obama is in on it too then I don't think there is any hope and I would tend to just give up. I doubt if we will get a President any more progressive than Obama is anytime soon.

[hack89]

18. When we start hosting foreign terrorist that are planning to kill Pakistanis

then you might have a point.

[moondust]

7. When it comes to preventing mass murder,

I don't have much of a problem with using whatever means are deemed necessary.

[Keith Bee]

8. Amen!

Good call by John Paul. (Hey, that rhymes...Jesus! I'm a poet, and I don't realize it!

[msanthrope]

13. That rightwinger!!! He obviously didn't consider the Geneva Conventions

and the fact that he was an old man in his pajamas....

[alp227]

14. I agree with him, Osama was more guilty than sin.

Check out this interview that he did with incoming CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes last fall too.