Assasinating US Citizens

[MikeBjerum]

I have been struggling with this one.  What they did, and what the situation is.  As of right now, and this could change:

1.  If they were a part of a group engaged in a battle against us, or were with a group we were striking I would have no problem with them being hit;

2.  In this case it appears that they were the target, so I see it as they should have either been captured and forced to face trial or there should have been some sort of legal procedure before hand that stripped them of their protections giving the authority to treat them as any other military threat.

The only reason that age and experience causes me to question what was done is the fact that we all know that this is just one more crack in the foundation of our Republic.

[Timothy]

I have been struggling with this one.  What they did, and what the situation is.  As of right now, and this could change:

1.  If they were a part of a group engaged in a battle against us, or were with a group we were striking I would have no problem with them being hit;

2.  In this case it appears that they were the target, so I see it as they should have either been captured and forced to face trial or there should have been some sort of legal procedure before hand that stripped them of their protections giving the authority to treat them as any other military threat.

The only reason that age and experience causes me to question what was done is the fact that we all know that this is just one more crack in the foundation of our Republic.

That statement reminds us that ODumbass is in full re-election mode and EVERYTHING he's doing now is motivated by that!  By subverting the law (surprising that know one has mentioned that GWB actually is attributed for the Exec. Order) and executing this fella, he's just notched another notch in his belt like Bin Laden! 

At this point, no one is going to poop on his parade at the Justice Department. 

[tombogan03884]

You beat me to it Tom..

I like Selleck, even watched the episode in the post back then but letting Hollywood decide social conscience is a bit off the mark!

I don't think he was thinking the law Tom, just used the show as an analogy of how it changed his viewpoint on whether to take the shot or let an asshole breath fresh air anymore.  Correct me if I'm wrong Solus!

for the record, I'm glad he's dead and I hope there's video but I gotta go with the Constitution and my interpretation of said amendment!

It doesn't matter, the action of an individual is governed by their conscience.
The actions of the Govt are governed by laws that state the CIA can not even spy on US citizens, let alone assassinate them.

[Solus]

You gotta be sh!tting me.
Are you actually basing your interpretation of law on a  TV show ?
Have you started smoking crack ?

Did you decide to deliberately misrepresent what I posted or was it an honest misunderstanding?

I said that episode started me thinking of the moral question it presented, and I considered it without concern for the legal aspect.

What I decided is that, for me, it was moral to kill a person who had killed before and would again where there was no chance of stopping them through legal means.  My only consideration of the legal aspects was if that would be an option to solving the problem, not a consideration as to what decision I would make.

No where in my post did I say it had any influence on my decision except to start me thinking about that moral situation.

I did recount the episode and it did end with the same moral decision being made that I came to, but it might have ended the other way had those responsible for it's content worked it that way.

  

[Solus]

You beat me to it Tom..

I like Selleck, even watched the episode in the post back then but letting Hollywood decide social conscience is a bit off the mark!

I don't think he was thinking the law Tom, just used the show as an analogy of how it changed his viewpoint on whether to take the shot or let an asshole breath fresh air anymore.  Correct me if I'm wrong Solus!

for the record, I'm glad he's dead and I hope there's video but I gotta go with the Constitution and my interpretation of said amendment!

Let me clarify. 

The show did not change my viewpoint.  I have generally felt that I would do what I felt was right regardless of the law (with consideration of the legal consequences I might face).  The episode just gave me a specific example of my general feeling to consider. 

It posed the question.   Would I act as Judge, Jury and Executioner to stop a killer if that was the only way to get the job done?



 

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

It doesn't matter, the action of an individual is governed by their conscience.
The actions of the Govt are governed by laws that state the CIA can not even spy on US citizens, let alone assassinate them.

This is true.  I have been looking at the situation from the point of view of  how I would personally handle the situation.

And I do believe Government has greater restrictions than an individual.

Sigh...now I have to think about this again....

[tombogan03884]

Did you decide to deliberately misrepresent what I posted or was it an honest misunderstanding?

I said that episode started me thinking of the moral question it presented, and I considered it without concern for the legal aspect.
 

I understood it as somehow helping you either reach or articulate your conclusion.
All I can say is it's a damned sorry state of affairs when self proclaimed "Patriotic Americans" will justify the Govt murdering a citizen with out trial regardless of what kind of scumbag he may be.
Any one who can accept this type of action will deserve it when their turn comes.

[Solus]

I understood it as somehow helping you either reach or articulate your conclusion.
All I can say is it's a damned sorry state of affairs when self proclaimed "Patriotic Americans" will justify the Govt murdering a citizen with out trial regardless of what kind of scumbag he may be.
Any one who can accept this type of action will deserve it when their turn comes.

ok...I said I'd think about it...no need to rub my nose in it   

Well, I have to flip-flop on this.  Tom is rrrrr....Tom is not wrong.

Governments can't take action on what is moral as an individual can.

Not that I hold them to a higher standard than I hold myself...

Just that they have no right or wrong moral decisions to make.  The HAVE to follow the Rule Book.

And the Rules MUST be Constitutional.

If there is not a legal procedure for them to eliminate a US Citizen who is out of reach, then it just can't be done.

[Timothy]

ok...I said I'd think about it...no need to rub my nose in it   

Well, I have to flip-flop on this.  Tom is rrrrr....Tom is not wrong.

That's going to leave a mark!


 

[tombogan03884]

The ability to reevaluate a questionable position is what separates us from the liberals. 
These incidents drew heavy flak

http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=3491.0

http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=4238.0

But actually assassinating a US citizen some find acceptable ?
Baffles the crap out of me.