Beelzebub, Daniyel,
et al,
Well, in some respects, there is a "drop" of truth here; but very little.
Basic complaints, such as these three issue represent, are attempts by terrorist support mechanisms to politically raise the heat on terrorist neutralizations and effective countermeasures so as to allow targeted terrorist and insurgent activities to operate more freely in a sympathetic environment engineered around morals that terrorists, insurgents and jihadist don't respect in the least. This gives them the opportunity to exploit freedoms and weaknesses in territories that generally follow a more liberal application of the Rule of Law; as opposed to Shira type institutions and fanatical Islamic interpretations of law and justice.
What do I mean when I say Shira type institutions and fanatical Islamic interpretations of law and justice. One needs only look at recent news articles:
- Hamas kills 18 suspected informers to deter leaks
... posters of three senior commanders of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Abu Shamaleh, Raed Attar and Mohammed Barhoum, who were killed in Thursday's Israeli strikes, during a demonstration to protest …WSB-TV Atlanta · 8/24/2014
It gets me that people slap a label of terrorism on something then take the position:
"I just ******* DARE YOU to say you support THAT!"
And them coming from a terrorist state, which is just EXACTLY what Israel is anyhow, is just the sweetest of Ironies.
What's even more funny is to see Terrorist supporters in American Forum board, claiming Israel is a terrorist state against the American position about it.
You are perfectly correct in your implication that the US State policy is supportive of terrorists.
In fact, much of what is termed US military action verges on terrorism.
For example, 'extraordinary rendition' is actually kidnapping.
'Enhanced interrogation' is torture.
'Pinpoint strikes' on individuals is assassination.
(OBSERVATION)
50 USC 401a - Definitions
As used in this Act:
(1) The term "intelligence" includes "foreign intelligence" and "counterintelligence."
(2) The term "foreign intelligence" means information relating to the capabilities, intentions, or activities of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons, or international terrorist activities.
(3) The term "counterintelligence" means information gathered, and activities conducted, to protect against espionage, other intelligence activities, sabotage, or assassinations conducted by or on behalf of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons, or international terrorist activities.
(COMMENT)
First:
There is no question that in recent times, the US has struggled with the legality and morality of what has become known as the "extraordinary rendition"
(a loophole in the law wherein a foreign national suspected terrorist is placed in the custody of an allied nation which does not extend the same protections to the suspect as may be required under US Laws and customary detention criteria). In 2005, the US suspended this activity with Presidential confirmation that the policy and practice of the United States is neither to use torture nor to hand over detainees to countries that use torture (2005). It was further amplified in Executive Order 13440 of July 20, 2007, and is currently prohibited under
Executive Order 13491 -- Ensuring Lawful Interrogations (THE WHITE HOUSE, January 22, 2009). No country, least of all the US, is perfect. We make mistakes and are not ashamed to admit those mistakes and take corrective action.
However, this is not the same as terrorism or the support of terrorism. There is nothing involved here, which may seriously damage a country or an international organization with the aim of:
- seriously intimidating an innocent population, or
- It did intimidate terrorist.
- unduly compelling a Government (not a state supporter of terrorism) or international organization (with no terrorist connections) to perform or abstain from performing any act, or
- It did intimidate those in support of terrorism.
- seriously destabilizing or destroying the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structures of a country or an international organization, which is not supporting terrorism.
- It did protect against foreign persons involved in international terrorist activities.
No person, transferred by US rendition protocols, was ever paraded on TV or video and slowly beheaded or executed in an inhumane way.
Second:
'Enhanced interrogation' is torture. What the US considers "torture" is clearly not the same as the treatment one is afforded under the security services of the Arab World; no comparison. The current US Policy is:
- Effective immediately, an individual in the custody or under the effective control of an officer, employee, or other agent of the United States Government, or detained within a facility owned, operated, or controlled by a department or agency of the United States, in any armed conflict, shall not be subjected to any interrogation technique or approach, or any treatment related to interrogation, that is not authorized by and listed in Army Field Manual 2 22.3 (Manual). Interrogation techniques, approaches, and treatments described in the Manual shall be implemented strictly in accord with the principles, processes, conditions, and limitations the Manual prescribes. Where processes required by the Manual, such as a requirement of approval by specified Department of Defense officials, are inapposite to a department or an agency other than the Department of Defense, such a department or agency shall use processes that are substantially equivalent to the processes the Manual prescribes for the Department of Defense. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or other Federal law enforcement agencies, from continuing to use authorized, non-coercive techniques of interrogation that are designed to elicit voluntary statements and do not involve the use of force, threats, or promises.
Finally:
The US may use Lethal Force, including targeted drone strikes, against an enemy belligerent during an armed conflict or under circumstances in which the belligerent constitutes an imminent threat to national security. Any terrorist, insurgent, Jihadist or other asymmetric opponent that has openly declared itself an enemy of the US or has openly challenged the security of US interests is targetable.
Senior Hamas Official: The Resistance Is Entitled To Attack Israel's Embassies, Interests, And Officials Worldwide – And The Interests Of Its Allies, Headed By The U.S. (MEMRI)
This is a direct threat from HAMAS, one of many; made in 2013, just a few months after Khaled Meshal, Hamas' "political" leader
published a major position paper for Hamas to explain its political positions.
There is a world of difference between what you are talking about, and what the reality is. The US neither supports or defends terrorist action. But, it will not idly sit back and allow a known terrorist organization to:
Organize, instigate, facilitate, participate in, finance, encourage or tolerate terrorist activities intended to be committed against the US, other States, or their citizens. (
Measures to prevent and combat terrorism, Annex - Action Plan - "The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy" --- A/RES/60/288)
Nor does the US particularly appreciate Senior HAMAS Official that promote or incite terrorist action:
The General Assembly (A/RES/2/110)
1.Condemns all forms of propaganda, in whatsoever country conducted, which is either designed or likely to provoke or encourage and threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression;
Resolution 1373 (2001) Adopted by the Security Council at its 4385th meeting, on 28 September 2001
Declares that acts, methods, and practices of terrorism are contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations and that knowingly financing, planning and inciting terrorist acts are also contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations;
I hope I was able, even in my clumsy
way, to shed some light on your perception. But make no mistake, the US has this thing called the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), a Joint Resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States. "The Bush and Obama administrations have both used the 2001 force authorization to justify drone strikes against terror targets in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. The U.S. also has back-channel consent for the strikes from Pakistan's government and a more overt agreement with Yemen."
In most cases, it is not the US that first assigns or tags an individual, group or government as a threat to national security or a terrorist organization. They usually tag themselves. The US just facilitates their wish to become a martyr and sends them onto their eternal journey. It's not assassination, just business.
Most Respectfully,
R