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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dayuhan who wrote (27778)	9/16/2001 6:56:27 PM
From: Constant Reader	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

That may be true, but it is impossible to use that method for two reasons: a long-standing executive order prohibiting assassination, and an Act of Congress prohibiting the United States doing business with any unsavory characters who are now or ever were terrorists, violators of human rights, or purveyors of illicit drugs. Some say the bill passed by Congress this week removes those restrictions. I don't know.

To: Dayuhan who wrote (27778)	9/16/2001 7:48:57 PM
From: The Philosopher	Respond to of 82486

Let's not pretend, though, that killing the Taleban leaders, or getting rid of the Taleban altogether, is going to eliminate terrorism. Of course not. That's why Bush and Powell are saying it will be a long haul, that we must root out terrorism root and branch. It is, of course, a permanent process, rather like the old war. With military, financial, and political aspects. The initial military response might be over in six months. But we will have to rebuild the intelligence capabilities that were basically destroyed in the last eight years. More important, we have to recraft an intelligence service that doesn't underestimate the capabilities of the other side. We will need to use financial pressure to uncover the financial assets that the terrorist networks have been using. This may require annoying the Swiss, or the Cayman Islands, or other countries that have thrived on assuring secrecy. It can be done, if we have the will. And, of course, we need to re-examine our political relationship with the Arab world. We can never satisfy the fundamentalist radicals, of course. But we can do a lot more than we are to strengthen our ties with the moderate Arab factions so that are more comfortable joining our own jihad. And, as you point out, we need to change our laws against targeted asassination. There must be no place in the world where a Bin Laden can feel he can walk the streets safely. All of this will take time. And will. We will see whether the sense of rage and commitment from this past week will have the staying power we need.

To: Dayuhan who wrote (27778)	9/16/2001 9:25:48 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

Would only a few hundred do it? And I think you are still looking at a fairly large scale organized operation here. If you do this one at a time, with time allowed for news to spread to other potential victims, they would become much more cautious, much more elusive, and much more dangerous. However, if such an operation were carried out on a single day, it could work. And it's not at all a bad idea. I like it. If it were done quickly and effectively, word would very quickly spread to others who thought of such activities and could dissuade them. Were something like this done, it could be an alternative to war. And possibly just as effective. Particularly if those who were shletering and aiding the terrorists were also whacked. But now we must be looking at thousands. And organizing and training thousands of assassins with no security leaks would be a real probem.