Killing bin Laden

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Roughly based on the death penalty thread.  Also, is it inconsistent to oppose the death penalty while supporting military action against bin Laden?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I am going to be a blatant hypocrite and say yes only because it was Bin Laden, while I would oppose such a mission for any other fugitive or enemy of the United States. I also recognize that the raid was illegal and a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

[H. Ross Peron]

Yes (D-Normal)

[morgieb]

Yes.

Also I am aware of the hypocrisy.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Come to think of it, technically it's not inconsistent to oppose the death penalty while supporting the military operation if you believe Bin Laden was an active threat to world peace until he died.  Maybe the circumstances would have been different if we merely captured Bin Laden, but I don't know any American who would feel comfortable with someone like him being brought to trial here.  Killing him at the scene was the best thing to do.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Not in its particulars. He should, had it been at all possible, have been brought back to the United States for trial and then imprisoned for the rest of his natural life.

[NewYorkExpress]

Yes, but I would have preferred to have Pakistan's consent in doing so.

[SWE]

I'd support it if we had Pakistan's consent beforehand

[Goldwater]

Yes (DR-Normal)

[bedstuy]

The idea that killing someone in a legitimate military action is analogous to a judicial punishment of a civilian is just nonsense.  

Al Qaeda was an international organization that was engaged in armed attacks against the United States of America.  Under the rules of war, the United States can defend itself against armed attacks.  As long as the US military action itself is legal, which the Bin Laden raid was, we could kill any member of Al Qaeda.  That's how war works.  The United States in WW2 didn't need to capture every member of the wehrmacht and put them on trial.  This is the same principle.

What's more, the police can kill you under the same basic circumstances on US soil.  This isn't a close call.

[The Dowager Mod]

The idea that killing someone in a legitimate military action is analogous to a judicial punishment of a civilian is just nonsense.  

[Incipimus iterum]

Yes

[7,052,770]

Why did we need Pakistan's permission?  He wasn't a citizen of Pakistan.

[Mordecai]

Yes (I/O)

Also, is it inconsistent to oppose the death penalty while supporting military action against bin Laden?

No. Capturing him alive would have been ideal but the way the operation went down wasn't ideal. It's a different situation to executing someone after they're already in custody.

[Paul Kemp]

In keeping with my general policy of wanting to eliminate scum from the Earth, of course.

[Oakvale]

I support military action against terrorists, yes.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

In keeping with my general policy of wanting to eliminate scum from the Earth, of course.

[Supersonic]

Yes (DR-Normal)

[free my dawg]

It's Bin Laden. Of course I would.

[TDAS04]

Absolutely (D)

[Franzl]

I think one can legitimately regard it as a military operation against an enemy. It'd be a different story if he'd been arrested somewhere.

[ElectionsGuy]

Yes (I/O)

[patrick1]

I'd support it if we had Pakistan's consent beforehand

What so the ISI could have tipped him off and he pulls a runner? No thanks.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Combat deaths aren't comparable to executions, as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, to answer the question: He should have been alive taken if possible. That said, if battlefield commanders weren't confident that they could do so without putting the lives of their team at an unacceptable level of risk, I'm not going to second-guess the decision to gun him down.

basically this.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Why did we need Pakistan's permission?  He wasn't a citizen of Pakistan.

And Amanda Knox isn't a citizen of Italy; should we allow the Italians to drop in and take her from Seattle?