Bin Laden - Dead

[Serapth]

Originally Posted by Ox

And since I don't believe it's theoretically possible for international law on these issues to contravene the US view in light of our preeminence, one might consider this the ultimate pronouncement of what international law is.

In other words, our stick is biggest, STFU!

[Ox]

Originally Posted by Serapth

In other words, our stick is biggest, STFU!

No, more like, "The man with the biggest stick can only be restrained by persuasion, not coercion." People are free to argue that the US ought to restrain itself in international affairs, and I agree with them in principle (although which specific restraints are open to debate). But they can't claim that the US is forbidden from doing something unless they can identify who forbade it.

People seem to equate this attitude on the nature of law with a "might makes right" attitude. That would only be true if I were incapable of conceiving of restraints that were not enforced at the point of a gun. Many lawyers do seem incapable of conceiving of voluntary constraint, which is why I would not trust a lawyer with my wallet or my sister.

[Serapth]

Originally Posted by Ox

No, more like, "The man with the biggest stick can only be restrained by persuasion, not coercion." People are free to argue that the US ought to restrain itself in international affairs, and I agree with them in principle (although which specific restraints are open to debate). But they can't claim that the US is forbidden from doing something unless they can identify who forbade it.

People seem to equate this attitude on the nature of law with a "might makes right" attitude. That would only be true if I were incapable of conceiving of restraints that were not enforced at the point of a gun. Many lawyers do seem incapable of conceiving of voluntary constraint, which is why I would not trust a lawyer with my wallet or my sister.

What about a bunch of people with medium sized sticks? Is that why you form these international bodies in the first place, to carry the weight of authority of all the member nations as one?

[VerseD]

"Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must." --Thucydides

[Narradisall]

Well Al Qaeda have now officially confirmed that he is dead (not that we didn't already know), so that may calm some of the more sensible aspects requiring confirmation.

Although they did also say revenge, etc etc.

[Ox]

Originally Posted by Serapth

What about a bunch of people with medium sized sticks? Is that why you form these international bodies in the first place, to carry the weight of authority of all the member nations as one?

We create international bodies for all sorts of reasons, including as sops to the sort of soft-headed fools you'll find in undergraduate dorms and leftist rallies the world over. But unless those bodies compel nations to comply, they don't create law.

For example, there are a variety of treaties and compacts covering issues of trade, diplomatic immunity, etc. They usually have sanctions associated with breach -- say, retributive trade sanctions -- that adequately incentivize the US to comply. It's reasonable to call those 'law'. And some of the laws of war, such as treatment of prisoners, either are reciprocal or have powerful domestic lobbies. You might call those 'law', as well.

But is there a potent international body that compels the US to, say, offer terrorists a chance to surrender? Who? What punishment do we suffer if we violate that rule?

[Vanthar]

Originally Posted by Narradisall

Well Al Qaeda have now officially confirmed that he is dead (not that we didn't already know), so that may calm some of the more sensible aspects requiring confirmation.

Although they did also say revenge, etc etc.

So even Al Qaeda is in on it..

[biosc1]

Originally Posted by Vanthar

So even Al Qaeda is in on it..

Idiot.

There is no Al Qaeda...it's just black ops done by the US government against their own people.

[Ox]

Sheeple, when will you realize that 9/11 never happened and the Towers are still there?

[Panthera]

Which means if Bin Laden really was still alive his only true believers would be conspiracy theorists. The implications of this are staggering.

[National Kato]

Originally Posted by Panthera

Which means if Bin Laden really was still alive his only true believers would be conspiracy theorists. The implications of this are staggering.

Not the least of which is the fact that the new Al Qaeda, comprised of conspiracy theorists, are already embedded within our society. Sleeper cells!

Brilliant planning by bin Laden.

[Narradisall]

They developed Crysis like stealth technology which they used to make the Twin Towers invisible, where they can train their sleeper cells in the US and base a beach head within American soil....

... it all makes sense...

[evilgoodwin]

Got to play a game at the bar last night. Me and a buddy would choose people that we thought would think Osama was still alive and ask them. I got 3 out of 3. I felt bad that I won so easily.

They were all rednecks, though, so no real challenge there.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by evilgoodwin

Got to play a game at the bar last night. Me and a buddy would choose people that we thought would think Osama was still alive and ask them. I got 3 out of 3. I felt bad that I won so easily.

They were all rednecks, though, so no real challenge there.

*reads message*
*looks at location*
*nods*

[Hotcod]

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2011/0...d_the_it_crowd

So turns out Bin Laden liked more than one kind of big bang *cough*

[National Kato]

On May 4th, CBS' Steve Kroft sat down with President Obama for 30 minutes and interviewed him on everything regarding the operation to kill bin Laden.

Full 60 Minutes interview. [transcript]

Interview covers preparation and intel leading to courier, planning for strike, other options, bin Laden's time in the compound, what it was like in the Situation Room, reactions as the op went (initially) bad with the helicopter crashing, confirmation of bin Laden's identity, and much more.

[Narradisall]

The Osama martyr train is starting to gain momentum now I see.

Releasing videos of him at his home, looking frail and poor, destitute, like the man that gave up his riches to fight the evil west.

Also enough people have started making visits to the home that they are planning to tear it down before it becomes a fully fledged shrine to him.

[Thanasimos]

Originally Posted by Narradisall

The Osama martyr train is starting to gain momentum now I see.

Releasing videos of him at his home, looking frail and poor, destitute, like the man that gave up his riches to fight the evil west.

Also enough people have started making visits to the home that they are planning to tear it down before it becomes a fully fledged shrine to him.

They should put out a guestbook instead. "Yeah, why don't you sign your name in our guestbook? And, uh, also your home phone number and address. . . ."

It'll be just like the cartoons. Everybody will fall for it.