Osama Bin Laden Is Dead

[Paradox]

I think they were in favor, no? I'm certain at this point that, no, President Obama will not be "taken to task" for killing Bin Laden. It would have been done by now. Bin Laden wasn't a head of state like Castro. Bin Laden was a criminal.

[king mob]

Just wondering how the International community regards the US President subscribing to assassination by the state?

Mainly by turning the other way.

[worstblogever]

I feel like this thread should be bumped every few weeks or so, Chevy Chase style. Because when it reappears, I hear him say, "Osama bin Laden is still dead."

Of course, after Democratic pundits can stop saying it to remind us the administration did it after the election, it will likely be more of something to chuckle about, rather than an achievement of the Obama White House.

[Mr MajestiK]

I feel like this thread should be bumped every few weeks or so, Chevy Chase style. Because when it reappears, I hear him say, "Osama bin Laden is still dead."

Of course, after Democratic pundits can stop saying it to remind us the administration did it after the election, it will likely be more of something to chuckle about, rather than an achievement of the Obama White House.

Are you saying it wasn't an achievement?

[worstblogever]

Are you saying it wasn't an achievement?

Oh, hell, it absolutely WAS. It was a bold decision by the president to go into another country's sovereign nation to assassinate a terrorist leader, and it was masterfully executed by our armed forces, after years of superlative work by our intelligence community.

What I'm saying is, in about three days, we'll be able to talk about with far less partisan sniping that wouldn't allow some to admit that, because of their political narrative.

[jackolover]

Mainly by turning the other way.

If Kennedy was successful in killing Castro, would the Russians have been justified in assassinating Kennedy? Or because the Russians knew about the plot to kill Castro, assassinating the US president was allowable?

[The Black Guardian]

If Kennedy was successful in killing Castro, would the Russians have been justified in assassinating Kennedy? Or because the Russians knew about the plot to kill Castro, assassinating the US president was allowable?

Osama bin Laden is nothing like Castro.

[finfangfool]

In their own minds perhaps, assuming they thought there'd be no way to follow it back to them. After all, this was the height of the Cold War and a direct link to the USSR and Kennedy's assassination could have led to a nuclear retaliation. Probably wouldn't, but if you're standing in their shoes would you have wanted to risk it?

Just look at the horrible stuff we know about that the CIA has done, I'm not as familiar with what the Russians did but I'm sure it's equally horrible, so the bar for justifiable action was probably pretty low (as in, "do we want to do this" being the standard).

A better comparison would be something like a member of organized crime in this country ordering an attack on a foreign country that resulted in mass casualties, and whether that country would be justified in entering our country to apprehend them without our OK. I'd say no, the government obviously would say no, but the government and people of that country would probably disagree.

[Mr MajestiK]

Oh, hell, it absolutely WAS. It was a bold decision by the president to go into another country's sovereign nation to assassinate a terrorist leader, and it was masterfully executed by our armed forces, after years of superlative work by our intelligence community.

What I'm saying is, in about three days, we'll be able to talk about with far less partisan sniping that wouldn't allow some to admit that, because of their political narrative.

Thanks for breaking it down.

[Jabare]

Just wondering, would the world court have taken Kennedy to the Hague if he successfully assassinated Castro? Is there any question that Obama will be taken to task for assassinating Bin Laden? Just wondering how the International community regards the US President subscribing to assassination by the state?

are you freaking joking with this?

[Charles RB]

Just wondering, would the world court have taken Kennedy to the Hague if he successfully assassinated Castro?

Castro was a head of state in peacetime, and one allied to a nuclear power. Bin Laden was a terrorist leader that everyone hated.

[7thangel]

What I'm saying is, in about three days, we'll be able to talk about with far less partisan sniping that wouldn't allow some to admit that, because of their political narrative.

3 centuries isn't going to change most of the minds. they will not start admitting or recognizing if they lose, nothing will burst that epistemic closure bubble. it's nice to think that it will though

[mikekerrIII]

Just wondering, would the world court have taken Kennedy to the Hague if he successfully assassinated Castro? Is there any question that Obama will be taken to task for assassinating Bin Laden? Just wondering how the International community regards the US President subscribing to assassination by the state?

It i really simple, the Hague won't touch a US president or a former president. It simply doesn't have the power to do so.

I really doubt that the international community breaths anything but sigh of relief at the death of Bin Laden who was a criminal gang leader not a head of state

[jackolover]

It i really simple, the Hague won't touch a US president or a former president. It simply doesn't have the power to do so.

I really doubt that the international community breaths anything but sigh of relief at the death of Bin Laden who was a criminal gang leader not a head of state

Then the flip side of that coin that Kennedy and Obama used is that other countries, or extremists, can have open season on any US President?

[jackolover]

In their own minds perhaps, assuming they thought there'd be no way to follow it back to them. After all, this was the height of the Cold War and a direct link to the USSR and Kennedy's assassination could have led to a nuclear retaliation. Probably wouldn't, but if you're standing in their shoes would you have wanted to risk it?

Just look at the horrible stuff we know about that the CIA has done, I'm not as familiar with what the Russians did but I'm sure it's equally horrible, so the bar for justifiable action was probably pretty low (as in, "do we want to do this" being the standard).

A better comparison would be something like a member of organized crime in this country ordering an attack on a foreign country that resulted in mass casualties, and whether that country would be justified in entering our country to apprehend them without our OK. I'd say no, the government obviously would say no, but the government and people of that country would probably disagree.

They killed Kennedy. There was no nuclear retaliation on the USSR.