Our view: Armed or unarmed, bin Laden got what he deserved

[mfcorey1]

Does it matter that Osama bin Laden was apparently unarmed when American commandos shot him to death — and not, as initially reported, brandishing a weapon and hiding behind a woman?.
In a word, no.

*
OPPOSING VIEW 'He should have been taken alive'

Whether judged by the formal rules of war, the pragmatic need to eliminate a threat or a gut-level hunger to deliver justice for the mass murder of 9/11, bin Laden deserved to die by any means necessary.

Still, a few voices are calling for an inquiry into how bin Laden was killed and questioning whether he could, and should, have been captured alive and put on trial. The facts, the law and circumstances of the operation should put those questions to rest.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2011-05-04-bin-Laden-got-what-he-deserved_n.htm

[Possumpoint]

1. This Is A Rhetorical Question

Do we as a country have the right to send assassination teams out in the world?

[DrDan]

2. apparently so

[Possumpoint]

4. Then That Implies That

Other countries would have the right to send teams into our country.

[customerserviceguy]

5. They already did

And this is the payback for it.

[Possumpoint]

6. Strawman

You compare apples and oranges. A team sent to kill one man versus a group attack trying to kill as many as possible.

[Renew Deal]

18. That makes no sense.

The number of people doesn't matter. :shrug:

[DrDan]

8. and which country was that?

[dipsydoodle]

9. Yes - the payback for the blowback

That's the problem with vendettas - they never really end.

[oberliner]

7. Which terrorists are we sheltering?

Who would these teams be going after?

[TheKentuckian]

10. Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, Rice, and the whole gang did more damage and killed more

than bin Laden could ever dream of.

Then we protect and serve the banking cabal and extraction industries who have robbed, killed, and pillaged on a viking like pace for a couple hundred years or there about.

[Possumpoint]

11. For DIscussion Sake

What if another country considered one of our former political leaders a terrorist. By the logic used, would they have the right to send in a military team and try to assassinate him? How would we react if we woke up and learned that one was dead and taken out to sea for burial?

Think long and hard about blowback on any of our operations.

[hack89]

13. We are able to draw distinctions between terrorists and elected leaders

if a country did what you would propose, it would be an act of war.

Do you really think Pakistan would turn Osama over? If countries make the decision to harbor international terrorists then they should be prepared to pay the cost.

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Apples and oranges deluxe.

Bin Laden not a political leader of Pakistan, or of any nation. Who are the people who considered him one of their political leaders?
When you say 'how would we react' who do you think is our counterpart in this scenario? Pakistan? Do they claim him as a 'former political leader'? No, they don't.

[DonCoquixote]

3. it depends

Have said targets formally and loudly declared that they were at WAR with us? Someone like Chavez, for all his bluster, never did, unlike OBL.

[hack89]

12. You are two years too late with that question

President Obama has ramped up the killing of terrorists to a level never seen in the Bush administration. He has decided that surgical removal of terrorists is the way to go.

[Possumpoint]

19. Is A Question Of Morality

ever too late? May very well be after the fact though. I raised my questions to generate thoughts on just what we did and why. If we can justify it can others?

[hack89]

20. When we start harboring international terrorists

then others can justify. Fortunately American law enforcement takes a dim view of terrorist organizations so it shouldn't be an issue.

[Renew Deal]

17. Depends

If it's part of a "war" it is to be expected. But not really for normal police operations. Then again, we wouldn't use the Navy for police-work either.

[frickaline]

15. He declared war on the US. Isn't that enough said? nt.

[closeupready]

16. My view, as well.

I have absolutely no concerns about it, and I'm glad he's gone. End of story.