In his Feb. 11 op-ed column James Carroll lumps snipers and drones together and seems to condemn both as “death out of nowhere.” Welcome to 21st-century warfare, where the nation is threatened constantly by suicide bombers who would more than fit the same description of surprise attack.
Carroll offers no alternative as to how to combat these terrorists. This is not World War II, where the Japanese use of kamikaze pilots was a desperate combat tool as the war was winding down. For Islamic terrorists, this type of attack is their weapon of choice. We are reacting to, not acting upon, an enemy fanatically sworn to wipe us out. They chose the means of warfare, and we are responding in kind.
Comments
Agreed. These people have willingly given up their rights to be considered Americans. They are traitors. And they deserve, therefore, to die in any way we can effect.
I am no fan of Carroll.
The issue of drone attacks is not quite what you wrote about. It is that they are being used to pick out individual targets at secret meetings by a few highly placed individuals, in some cases. Drones are being used for other attacks on the battlefield that no one has a problem with.
The idea that a president either creates, or approves a "hit list" does not sit well with a lot of people. It is one of those things that can be easily abused precisely because of the secret way it is being implemented.
As for killing Americans who are fighting for an enemy? You bet. But it may be that american citizens could be especially targeted for assasination strictly BECAUSE they are american citizens. Killing them in the course of everyday operations is fine, singling them out is not.
Furthermore, this secrecy thing could lead to abuse. Hit lists are dangerous, who gets put on one, and for what reasons?
I agree about the hit lists, considering VP Biden called the Tea party terrorists it's not to comforting. Liberals call conservatives terrorists everyday, just read the blogs.
liked it when bush did it. like it more with pres Obama we need to win this battle. not bemead martyrs