In ordering the raid on Osama bin Laden’s hiding spot, President Obama evinced a military-minded approach to the War on Terror, former attorney general Alberto Gonzales tells National Review Online. “He did not send the FBI into Pakistan to retrieve Osama bin Laden as if he were a common criminal,” Gonzales observes. “He sent our military because this is a war. And Osama bin Laden is a military target; he’s a military leader.”
Reports are circulating that the U.S. procured the name of bin Laden’s courier from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the infamous resident of Guantanamo Bay. “I’m not going to speak to the suggestion that information came from detainees or interrogations,” Gonzales says. “I would just say generally it’s important in this conflict to get information any way you can that’s constitutional. I’m gratified to see many of the same policies adopted by the Bush administration have been continued by the Obama administration, including the legal framework that this is not a [criminal-system issue].”
As for the news’ larger significance, Gonzales is quick to caution: “Without knowing what the succession [of al-Qaeda leadership] is going to look like, all of us are just guessing. Clearly, it’s no longer a hierarchy; it’s more of a network and it consists of franchises around the world.” Bin Laden was “more of a symbolic figure.”
Nonetheless, Gonzales views the news as a victory. “I welcome the news. It satisfied me, it gave me relief, and I think President Obama and his team deserve a great deal of credit.”
I find it interesting that one of those directly responsible for Osama's demise was Atty. General Gonzales who provided rationale and support for "enhanced interrogation" carried out by our military and CIA folk, under Bush. Gonzales has paid a personal price, being reviled and hounded by lefties to be prosecuted for “war crimes” and barred from some academic jobs because of his honorable conduct during the war on terror. Gonzales deserves praise for his service to our country and its defense.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAren't terrorists more like pirates than anything else?
Instead of hijacking for ransom they hijack for terror and, as a result, are trying to ransom our freedom and safety for their aims.
Pirates, historically, deserve nothing but the noose. No trial, no "justice" but swift and certain death in order to dissuade anyone from contemplating like efforts for gain.
Treating terrorists like quasi-legitimate political groups only encourages them to be understood in some legitimate perspective. They are not legitimate as they use the means of murdering innocent people, around the world, to advance what pleases their sick goal. So what if their goal has some, nominal, portion of political angle to it? Their means have to repulse any reasonable republic.
Designate them as pirates and treat them and those that harbor them, the way governments have historically treated such despicable characters. That their quest does not involve monetary enrichment is meaningless. They seek total power which, ultimately, results in enrichment. That they cloak their ambition in "religious" terms is utterly irrelevant to the matter. They're pirates for political power.
Hang them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse'Bin Laden was “more of a symbolic figure.”'
Seems like someone spent a lot of time, money, and trouble to protect this "symbolic figure", so we are not the only ones who considered him to be of high value.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusejag: I agree with you, but have to point out that these days, we can't even muster the fortitude to handle real pirates the way pirates have been traditionally treated.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGlenn Greenwald was so upset by this that he said he needed to immediately fly to Rio for some cheering up.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI apologize in advance if my question seems ignorant, but why would we send the FBI to another country? I thought the FBI was domestic, and the CIA was the international outfit. I assume that if Osama was in Kansas, they would have sent the FBI.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRE: "Aren't terrorists more like pirates than anything else?"
I like the cut of your jib.
Head. Pike. White House lawn.
Nothing partisan about *that* message. ;)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo disrespect to the FBI, but I would not have sent them either. It is not because of the character of the mission, but the necessity of the mission. I just don't think the FBI could have pulled it off. I may be wrong.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAllijan and Begley, you both seem to be going to length to miss Mr. Bolduc’s point that Obama’s use of the Military to assassinate Bin Laden gives lie to The Obama Administration and the Left’s stated position that the War on Terror can be dealt with as a matter of Criminal Law.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@JRapp: I just wasn't aware that the FBI was an option for an international action. I agree that the military seems completely correct for an operation like this.
I don't think that the military can eradicate terrorism, although it demonstrated very clearly that it can eliminate terrorists.
I don't like the idea of treating terrorists like warriors. I think they are murderers, and should be treated like such.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRE: "I think they are murderers, and should be treated like such."
Just for clarification..."murderers" in the Criminal Court sense?
I think of them more as feral dogs that we've, inexplicably, raised to the level of "enemy combatants". They deserve Geneva protections in the same way Nick Berg deserved to be decapitated...which is, of course, to say not at all.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Order66
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, murderers in the criminal sense. They are not warriors, and should not be treated like captured military. They are filthy criminals. If we are certain that they are involved in terrorist activity, they should be arrested like any common criminal. If they resist arrest, I am fine with them being killed.
@Brian Begley
Ok.
I'll just back..away...slowly.
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