Procrustes Stretched
"intuition and imagination and intelligence"
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- #41
Technically the CIA or other Intel agencies cannot wage war. That is why spys are NOT covered by the Geneva Conventions.I think it is a criminal act of war. Because it would be considered a war crime no matter what, people who deliberately kill civilians are criminals no matter what organization they belong too.
Although with the organization of Al Quada not being part of one Nation only, even organizations can wage war (like the CIA or other intelligence agencies who can do it secretly for example).
Individuals and organizations that are not states do not have the same protections. methinks you are mistaking how we were using the term 'war'.
Well that still is very questionable, an organization can be supported very much by another country and that could be considered as an act of war. Isn't that why NATO, the US are at war vs Afghanistan (Taliban regime) since 9/11?
And spies are technically never at war because the government that uses the spies normally would not recognize them. But in reality they can fund a war (the CIA in Afghanistan vs Soviets), fight in a war (the CIA in Tibet vs China & maybe also in the war Georgia vs Russian Federation) or just train people who are in that war.
We all agree (the sane ones) that nations who harbor a threat are themselves at risk of being viewed as an impending threat. NATO can declare war? Or do individual nations need to declare war and sign on to a NATO led coalition?
Spies do not fund wars, countries they belong to do. Nations do not go to war with a declaration of war against spies or intel agencies do they? Proxie wars waged by the major powers/super powers have historically been (if memory serves me well) fought without declarations of war. Nations have avoided declaring war by funding, arming and training with logistic support and more, sides in civil wars, ethnic conflicts etc,....but war as we were speaking about it here is a legal and technical issue with rules of behavior and more.
Terrorists use that against us, but is that any reason to become like them to beat them at their own game? Can we not defeat them without losing our way as the Banana Republics in Central and South America have done (with our assistance)?
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself" is another of those phrases that people often miss the boat on in understanding...just like "Justice is blind"
those two statements say far more than what at first meets the mind. deep and profound are they.
I have faith we will beat the shitheads, but my faith in us coming out with our honor and integrity intact becomes shaky depending on who is in power.
I never did do fear and loathing very well. It is why I could never become a wingnut or a moonbat.