Hopey Changey wants it all:
"The Obama administration has taken the extraordinary step of authorizing the targeted killing of an American citizen..."
Ugh, the NYT.
I'm sure professional liberals will love it until they hate it, say, when the next assclown from the GOP gets a shot at the Principate.
Crow's Eye: Maintaining a commitment to Pointless Acrimony™ and Hate Filled Invective™! Also available in corvid mischief and traditional sly dog's mistrust.
So we don't arrest and try citizens either? I thought the whole rational for not trying "terrorists" was that they were not citizens?
ReplyDeleteI think right now it's a special case.
ReplyDeleteThis guy (at least, based on the propaganda about him) seems pretty easy to dislike, especially if you buy into the whole "America is a force for good, people who fight Her are evil" fantasy.
He's "associated" with a host of Really Bad Guys (covering the entire decade of the Long War).
I think a lot of people will agree with the policy, because of the chosen target.
In the same way that people accept "free speech zones" because the folks penned in them are hooded, green haired oddballs carrying giant puppets and hand made signs.
A policy becomes palatable when the target is already an Other for whom their is little public witness.
That typed, I don't think we'll see a spate of arrogant, ballsy, public killings.
Barack Obama might have a field of sycophants, ready to defend his dear leaderishness - but at some point people would probably start objecting to his version of the Praetorian Guard tromping about the hinters and homeland snuffing out opponents.
That doesn't make this any more insidious. In fact, it's probably worse for liberty and association in the long run.
Armed with apathy and even public support, it'll become as accepted (if rare) as tribunals, indefinite incarceration, torture, free speech zones, prison rape and veal penning.
Respect,
Jack
Ugh. I suck.
ReplyDelete"any less insidious"
As you hinted at in your post, I'm a little more concerned because of the precedent this is setting and less because of who it is. Yeah he's pretty identifiable as a "bad guy" only lacking a mechanical appendage and a cat he can ominously stroke, but again, ahhh!
ReplyDeletep.s. thanks for the link on your sidebar, I gave you one on my site.
fwoan,
ReplyDeleteI agree, heartily, that the precedent sucks. I'm just musing aloud about why I think Obama will get away with it.
And, de nada, on the link.