Bush authorized Pentagon to strike Al-Qaeda in any country

[riddler 0]

Apparently Pax Americana comes with a heavy price tag. NY Times is reporting that George W. Bush authorized the invasion of any country where Al-Qaeda is suspected of hiding.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081110/ts_nm/us_usa_military_report;_ylt=AmA6.rGwOucj3i9.bqlAjrR34T0D

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Under the order, the military had new authority to strike the al Qaeda network anywhere in the world and a broader mandate to conduct operations in countries not at war with the United States, according to the Times.

So the next time you find American troops in your backyard, expect them to say something along the lines of "uh, we thought Bin Laden might be hiding here."

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[kelpdiver 2]

and the counterpoint - if you know if have Al-queda fighters hiding in your country, there is a consequence, fair or not, to keeping this to yourself.

[steveorino 7]

Well, good. Maybe, just maybe we learned ONE lesson from Viet Nam. From past actions by commanders and Presidents it appeared that we learned NOTHING.

steveOrino

[shropshire 0]

Anyone habouring IRA terrorists out there?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[airdvr 197]

We're at war with them. We should go anywhere they are provided the country harboring them isn't doing anything about it (Syria, Iran, Pakistan)

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[quade 3]

Depending on what we're talking about, I can understand it.

If OBL was across a border, we KNEW where he was and how to get him, I would have ZERO issues with a team going in to take him out.

I really don't think most people in the US would give a rats ass and world opinion be damned.

However, if it is some excuse to just go in and bust up stuff, even training facilities . . . that's just not going to fly.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Andy9o8 0]

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Depending on what we're talking about, I can understand it.

If OBL was across a border, we KNEW where he was and how to get him, I would have ZERO issues with a team going in to take him out.

I really don't think most people in the US would give a rats ass and world opinion be damned.

However, if it is some excuse to just go in and bust up stuff, even training facilities . . . that's just not going to fly.

Agreed, on all points.

[riddler 0]

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We're at war with them. We should go anywhere they are provided the country harboring them isn't doing anything about it (Syria, Iran, Pakistan)

I didn't see anything in the article that led me to believe that the US was going to give any other country the chance to do anything about it. Personally, I believe in the external sovereignty of other countries, which I know is an unpopular opinion in the U.S.

At least, not until another country invades us ...

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[quade 3]

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Personally, I believe in the external sovereignty of other countries, which I know is an unpopular opinion in the U.S.

OBL is standing across the border. He's standing directly under a sign with a big arrow pointing at him that says, "Yep. It's me!" He's waving at you. He's less than 100 yards away, you have him in your sights, you have a clear shot.

Still believe in the other country's absolute sovereignty?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[kelpdiver 2]

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We're at war with them. We should go anywhere they are provided the country harboring them isn't doing anything about it (Syria, Iran, Pakistan)

I didn't see anything in the article that led me to believe that the US was going to give any other country the chance to do anything about it. Personally, I believe in the external sovereignty of other countries, which I know is an unpopular opinion in the U.S.

It's also not so helpful when it comes to engaging nationless bodies. If you know they're sitting 5 miles across the border right now, how long will they be there? Will they move in the time it takes to call up the nation's leadership and get an ok, or even just an acknowlegement? Worse, will someone within their government leak the information?

[FreeflyChile 0]

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Personally, I believe in the external sovereignty of other countries, which I know is an unpopular opinion in the U.S.

OBL is standing across the border. He's standing directly under a sign with a big arrow pointing at him that says, "Yep. It's me!" He's waving at you. He's less than 100 yards away, you have him in your sights, you have a clear shot.

Still believe in the other country's absolute sovereignty?

In cases like that it's easy to say "well I didn't know I was this close to the border..." and it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

[millertime24 8]

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However, if it is some excuse to just go in and bust up stuff, even training facilities . . . that's just not going to fly.

Why not? Assuming, of course, that they're actually terrorist training facilities.

Muff #5048

[humanflite 0]

OBL is clearly dead and his corpse scattered among the afghanistan wastelands

nothing that GB does or has done would surprise me.
His incompetence is unparalleled IMO

[LOSTandCRAZY 0]

So, Bush can entertain the Taliban at the Governor's Mansion in Texas, AND GIVE THEM 43 MILLION DOLLARS in 2001, but we have to kill Al-Qaeda wherever they are?

That's what happens when you're the low bidder!

http://www.drudge.com/archive/110014/bush-gave-taliban-43-million-may

"The invasion of Afghanistan was threatened in July of 2001 for October if the Taliban wouldn't recuse their oil pipeline deal with Bristas and sign with a US-preferred, UNOCAL consortium instead. Why do you think the Cheney energy meetings remain secret? Both Iraq and Afghanistan were central to the planning done behind closed doors. Why do you think Musharaff reported in his own biography that the US offered to blow Pakistan "back to the stone ages" if it didn't comply with our wishes regarding Afghanistan?


All this information is just a click away if you want to find it, but it isn't new or revelatory whatsoever. Its simply what it always has been."

NEVER LET YOUR KIDS VOLUNTEER TO DIE FOR THIS COUNTRY.

Because it won't BE for this country, it will be for someone's wallet.

And if you don't believe it? I'll chalk it up to natural selection! Send 'em on in!!!!

"Get these balls!"

[quade 3]

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However, if it is some excuse to just go in and bust up stuff, even training facilities . . . that's just not going to fly.

Why not? Assuming, of course, that they're actually terrorist training facilities.

Because of associated civilian casualties. Many terrorist training camps are purposely build next to civilian structures. They realize we generally don't like civilian casualties and if there is plausible deniability it was a training camp, it works against us.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[millertime24 8]

Would you have used the same reasoning back in WWII? And back them we didnt have bombs that could be guided by LASER's and satellites. Collateral damage is pretty nil, but however unfortunate its innevitable.

Muff #5048

[quade 3]

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Would you have used the same reasoning back in WWII? And back them we didnt have bombs that could be guided by LASER's and satellites. Collateral damage is pretty nil, but however unfortunate its innevitable.

But we're talking about fights taking place in countries not technically or officially recognized as participants and the sovereignty of those countries.

If a country declares war on another country . . . keep the collateral damage to a minimum if possible.

If a country borders the conflict, you try to not spill over into it and if you do collateral damage might drag that country into the conflict. That's not usually desirable.

WWII is a bad example as most countries where there was fighting had bordering countries that were also involved in one way or another. What we're talking about here is more akin to Vietnam and Cambodia.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[LOSTandCRAZY 0]

In WWII, we were attacked as a country, because of our invovements on other fronts, NOT because of a business deal gone sour.... And Iraq NEVER had anything at all to do with 9-11, those were all trained Saudi Soldiers, not a bunch of terrorists. Get the facts straight. There WERE NO IRAQUIS INVOLVED IN THE 9-11 ATTACKS, not a ONE.

I PROUDLY served under Bush Sr. That's George H.W. Bush. The guy that KNEW how to fight war in 90 days, and it wasn't the result of a bad business deal, either, it was merely a humanitarian action.

Everyone can say that then, "we didn't finish the job", when actually, we did, we had clear objectives, and a point "A" to point "Z" plan to accomplish, and executed the plan, achieving ALL OBJECTIVES in 90 days.

Jr? Not so much. I feel Sr's pain in all of this, I really do....

"Get these balls!"

[HillerMyLife 0]

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Depending on what we're talking about, I can understand it.

If OBL was across a border, we KNEW where he was and how to get him, I would have ZERO issues with a team going in to take him out.

I really don't think most people in the US would give a rats ass and world opinion be damned.

However, if it is some excuse to just go in and bust up stuff, even training facilities . . . that's just not going to fly.

I agree except for the last point. Blowing up training facilities is awesome and should definately fly.

Someday Never Comes

[kelpdiver 2]

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Would you have used the same reasoning back in WWII? And back them we didnt have bombs that could be guided by LASER's and satellites. Collateral damage is pretty nil, but however unfortunate its innevitable.

I'm reading a new book that covers the end of the European war starting with D-Day. It is solely concerned with the experience of the 'liberated.'

I know in particular on the Russian front, the saviors were in many ways worse than the Nazis, whose superior race edicts discouraged raping the locals.

(Obviously if you were Jewish you're going to prefer the Russians)

[AggieDave 6]

Paul, this isn't just one group and really isn't just about one person. Its about an entire coalition of groups with a single goal: to control the entire world with radical Islam. There are, as we speak right now, terrorist cells operating with in the US boarders that are preparing their strikes. There are right now terrorist cells training in northern Mexico.

This is a dire situation. Too many people think that if we simply leave Iraq or Afghanistan that the problem will go away. Those are singular wars to the people we're fighting. They're simply battle fronts in a global war.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[LOSTandCRAZY 0]

OBL is an excuse, he never orchestrated anything that could even resemble a sychronized brain fart.

He DID praise the attacks, but he's WAAAAAY to stupid to have planned anything resembling a coordinated attack of that magnitude.

He can't even change his own towel......

And towelie says:

"Don't forget to bring a TOWEL!!!!"

"Get these balls!"

[LOSTandCRAZY 0]

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There are, as we speak right now, terrorist cells operating with in the US boarders that are preparing their strikes. There are right now terrorist cells training in northern Mexico.

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

There are terrorist groups that funded Eric Rudolph here in the US, but they were CHRISTIAN, and NOT ISLAMIC. How quickly we forget that we have Christian radicals here in the US, as well..... That's called "DOMESTIC TERRORISM", a subject you may not be equipped to deal with.

So save that.

Jesus this, Moses that, Abraham hit Buddha with a wiffle-ball bat.

Send YOUR people to fight religious wars, recruit directly from CHURCH, and leave the rest of us out of it. And our tax dollars, too.

"Get these balls!"

[AggieDave 6]

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Send YOUR people to fight religious wars, recruit directly from CHURCH

You're assuming a lot there, me and church.

I'm repeating information from the JTTF. There have been single instances in the news that if you step back and take a look its kind of scary.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[kelpdiver 2]

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OBL is an excuse, he never orchestrated anything that could even resemble a sychronized brain fart.

He DID praise the attacks, but he's WAAAAAY to stupid to have planned anything resembling a coordinated attack of that magnitude.

during the trial for the 1993 bombing, the prosecutors mocked the bombers as incompetent idiots. Did we get our comeuppance in the 2nd attack? Wouldn't be the first time in history, full of many examples of victories by the smaller party.

Or are you part of the Bush did it conspiracy nuts?