TW: Bill Kristol's latest column in the Weekly Standard demonstrates once again why we will be so much better off with others advising our POTUS. In the piece in addition to the standard flag-waving for W. Bush, Kristol manages to propose two more exceedingly bad ideas. One, he proposes the Marines invade the Somali bases of the pirates lurking near the Red Sea (and insults our military leadership in the process) and two he suggests a blanket pardon for anyone who might have committed crimes in the ubiquitous GWOT (global war on terror). The man is truly prolifically bad.
While it perplexes me at times that pirates can exist in modern times, another significant deployment of our armed forces does not in anyway appear necessary or warranted. Yet Kristol flippantly throws it out without pondering the implications, costs, geo-political ramifications etc. (sound familiar?).
The blanket pardon relative to those who may have committed crimes in the pursuit of the GWOT is an entirely different can of worms. While I will assume the vast majority of those involved in GWOT had noble motives. Noble motives are not a sufficient defense against the commitment of criminal acts. Following orders is not a sufficient defense. To the extent American governmental officials committed criminal acts whilst pursuing terrorists, they should be held accountable. We are not a stageset for the a TV show, e.g. "24". We are a nation of rules and laws who should be demanding all of our citizens abide by those laws. NOT praising those especially those leaders who regardless of motive have circumvented those laws.
From Billy Kristol at Weekly Standard:
"...he could tell various admirals to stop moaning about how difficult it would be to deal with the pirates off the coast of Somalia (isn't keeping the shipping lanes open a core mission of the Navy?) and order the Navy to clobber them. If need be, the Marines would no doubt be glad to recapitulate their origins and join in by going ashore in Africa to destroy the pirates' safe havens.
...One last thing: Bush should consider pardoning--and should at least be vociferously praising--everyone who served in good faith in the war on terror, but whose deeds may now be susceptible to demagogic or politically inspired prosecution by some seeking to score political points. The lawyers can work out if such general or specific preemptive pardons are possible; it may be that the best Bush can or should do is to warn publicly against any such harassment or prosecution. But the idea is this: The CIA agents who waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and the NSA officials who listened in on phone calls from Pakistan, should not have to worry about legal bills or public defamation. In fact, Bush might want to give some of these public servants the Medal of Freedom"
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/876qyutv.asp
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