Screw International Law, eh?

[waider]

CIA blew up car in Yemen

Ok. So these guys are suspects who have effectively been tried and executed by the CIA on foreign soil. They've not actually confirmed that the main guy in the car was who they thought it was, and they've also not said who the other five are. But that's okay, they're terrorists, because the CIA said so, and the CIA doesn't make mistakes.

Comments

[zadcat.livejournal.com]

Watch it lad, or on the way down to Messrs. some night, zzzzzzzzzzPOW, and another Irish terrorist will be history.

[waider.livejournal.com]

Hmm, maybe that's what gave me the mad headache the last time I was out at the bar.

[ikkyu2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this was interesting for three reasons:

a) Unmanned drones are currently a subject of debate in diplomacy/international law circles. Some argue that their use as weapons of war violates the Geneva Convention.

b) The operation was conducted on foreign soil - we're not at war with Yemen, and we have no jurisdiction there. I'm sure the powers that be in Yemen are (cowed into) cooperating, but it's still weird.

c) The top levels of the US government (the Secretary of Defense himself, really, speaking for the administration) publically acknowledge these facts. This may be the most interesting thing of all: no one's interested in "deniability."

Is this simply bragging, or is it an unveiled threat to those who would oppose us?

Frankly, I'm surprised, but pleased. Another 100 successes like this and we might put some terrorists out of business. On the other hand, some of the implications are a little alarming.