I remember how disgusted I was after 9/11 to see the people is some parts of the world celebrating over the attacks that killed so many innocent people. Am I supposed to feel differently as I watch Americans react in the same way to the killing of Bin Laden?
I am a little torn at this time. While I have believed and had hoped that Bin Laden would be “brought to justice” to be held responsible for his actions, I am unnerved by the implications of what has occurred.
Ok, unnerved is a bland description, I am shocked, dismayed and disgusted over the events of the past day, if what I am reading and hearing from the press is indeed true.
Maybe I am just a crazy old “left wing loon”, but I don’t know if I can find a way support the actions of our military and our President at this moment. All the news is still coming in, stories are not straight, information is still being pieced together and I acknowledge that some of the things I am currently trying to wrap by ideology around may become clear. Perhaps even some of my fellow Kos members will be able to enlighten me.
Let me tell you where I stand on some issues:
1. I do not believe in the moral correctness or legality of the so called “war on terror”.
2. I do not believe our military has the authority to go around the world capturing, detaining and killing citizens of other nations simply because the Brass has decided they are “enemy combatants”.
3. I do not support the US holding people indefinitely in a prison in another part of the world, without representation, without oversight and “torturing” them for information.
4. I do not support the idea the US can send our military into another sovereign nation, without their knowledge and/or approval and without an imminent risk to American citizens.
5. I do not support the idea the US can use our military, after crossing into another sovereign nation, solely to kill and/or capture individuals.
6. I do not believe the US has the right to engage in covert assassinations.
So how does what just occurred in Pakistan square with me beliefs?
From what I understand, the process of finding Bin Laden all started with a name, obtained from a foreign national “inmate” being held in the (illegal and criminal) detainment center at Guantanamo Bay.
It has been reported the name and information was gathered through the (illegal and criminal) practice of “enhanced interrogation techniques” i.e. torture. If this ends up being true, well then it sure makes the case for torture being acceptable in some instances doesn’t it?
Through much work and many years, the information gleamed from the torture of the Al Qaeda “messenger”, the CIA was able, (using god knows what methods) to figure out Bin Laden’s location in country of Pakistan.
We then spent the last months secretly “making sure” this was Bin Laden and then and “preparing”.
Then, without notifying or getting approval from Pakistani authorities to enter their nation, we sent in our military (illegally) across the Pakistani border and assassinated Osama Bin Laden along with a few other people who were present.
So if I were to jump up and down and cheer over Obama giving the order and our military carrying it out and putting a bullet in Bin Laden’s head, would I be a hypocrite? Would supporting this action also mean by the way, I would be supporting all underlying activities that I professed to believe to be incorrect and illegal which made “removing” Bin Laden possible?
Was breaking all the national and international laws, giving credibility to all the Bush “war on terror” policies, supporting the continued existence of Guantanamo Bay, making torture a acceptable means to obtain information and then having our military commit an assassination while illegally in another nation, worth it?
Does the means justify the ends?
Was Bin Laden an exception? If so why? And If so, doesn’t this mean it can happen again? And again?
Or is it only ok because “he attacked us first” and this was payback?
The funny thing about logic is that is something is an absolute truth, that means it applies without exception. So if performing action X is absolutely wrong, then it is always wrong, no matter the circumstances. If torture is absolutely wrong, it is always wrong.
So pardon me if I don’t jump on the bandwagon and jump up and down over Bin Laden. I guess I didn’t get the memo that it was ok now that Obama is in office to send our military around executing people in other counties. But I suppose I should have learned when we invaded Libya. Its been a busy couple of months, that’s two countries we have attacked, you know what they say, third time is the charm.
Now maybe I am over-reacting, maybe I will stand corrected in the comming days when we learn all the details. Or maybe I am right, but also wrong?
