9 May
Would Jack Bauer keep Osama bin Laden alive? (Revised)
Normally when we think about “targeted assassinations” we generally think about Israel. Israel has always targeted known offenders who have masterminded terrorist attacks against her people with remarkable success. For several years, suicide bombers wrecked considerable havoc in Israeli society. Starting in 2002, Israel began a policy of targeted assassinations, which when combined with creating a security barrier severing the West Bank from Israel proper; both these methods resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of suicide attacks waged against Israel by her foes.
Despite taking criticism from the international community—including the United States government—Israel has found that the targeted assassinations keeps the loss of human life to a bare minimum.
It is ironic that a Democratic President would issue orders to kill a head of State like it did just the other week, when the military tried to kill Muammar Gaddafi in a bombing mission—but it did. Now, as United States was about to close in on Osama bin Laden, the world renowned criminal was shot in the face and killed—much against the wishes of the Pakistani President. Granted, one may not especially care what Pakistan has to say on this matter. Yes, President Obama looks like he took a page from the Israeli playbook on how to get one’s enemies.
According to President Obama, the President claimed he did not want any American soldiers killed during the operation. This explanation could possibly be true. What if Osama was wearing a suicide-bomb under his garments? On the surface, the United States’ behavior enacted a true lex tallionis penalty—a death for a death. Critics have rightly observed the blood-lust quality this execution seems to have.
But was this the right policy to enact?
While comparisons to Israel’s policy of targeted assassinations are obvious, the comparison may only be superficial at best.
After the Israeli secret agents captured Adolph Eichmann in Argentina, the Israeli agents were determined not to kill Eichmann, who was widely regarded as one of the principle architects of Hitler’s “Final Solution.”Instead, he was flown to Israel where he stood trial. Ultimately, he was executed—the only criminal to ever have been legally executed in Israel to this day.
Personally, I think Osama bin Laden should have been tried in a court of law. Keeping him alive would prove invaluable—if for nothing else—because of the information bin Laden has about the international web of terror.
In addition, the world would realize that the United States adheres to a Rule of Law and not revenge. Observing the law is how we distinguish our society from those that have no respect or reverence for human life. The Rule of Law is what separates Western society from the barbarism and Law of the Jungle that bin Laden adheres to. The failure to adhere to our country’s legal ideals appears at the very least, very hypocritical to the rest of the Western and non-Western world.
Secondly, trying bin Laden would in effect showcase a trial against Radical Islam. The whole world would see the insanity that has inspired this decadent religious movement.
Thirdly, in Semitic and Oriental societies, honor and respect is more important than life itself. Letting bin Laden die on a meaningful level actualizes his desire to be a martyr. On the other hand, dressed in an orange jumpsuit or displaying a striped outfit would serve to ridicule him before the entire world—a fate worse than death.
Fourthly, as a virtual databank of information, bin Laden is the key to capturing much of the world-terror-network. Besides, water-boarding is a lot better than killing him, isn’t it?
Besides, why rush to the death penalty? Why the frantic sense of urgency?
Why kill a man who has so much information about the international web of terror that he personally operates?
Dead men tell no tales . . .
I also wonder: What would Jack Bauer say? I think Jack would definitely keep Osama bin Laden alive . . . You betcha! After torturing him for information, then he would personally kill him. This sounds like a great script for a future 24 episode or feature film.
