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CIA Assassin Squads: Who Is It OK to Kill?

Cheney's secret killers likely to wind up on wrong side of history

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 15, 2009 9:38 AM CDT

(Newser) – It’s hard to imagine many Americans would object to their country assassinating Osama bin Laden, and Walter Shapiro of Politics Daily is no different. So why are he, and others, so queasy about the CIA hit squads that, we learned Monday, have been hunting terrorist leaders since 9/11? Because the CIA has a really lousy history when it comes to assassinations, targeting foreign leaders, like Fidel Castro, who were "strategic inconveniences for the United States rather than major-league war criminals."

The attempt to exterminate al-Qaeda resembles the disastrous Phoenix program in Vietnam, in which many people were tortured and assassinated based on often dubious intelligence. That kind of history demonstrates why America should almost never sanction assassinations away from the battlefield. “It is not enough for the CIA to triple check that the target is really the man with the blue turban,” Shaprio argues. “The real question should be: How will this killing look in 20 or 30 years?”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

It's hard to imagine anyone would object to a plot to kill Osama bin Laden, but after him things get murky. (AP Photo)

Former Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at the Gerald R. Ford Foundation Journalism Awards luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, Monday, June 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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It is light years from the hypothetical 'Would you have shot Hitler in 1933?' to the more realistic 'Would you have offered poisoned cigars to Castro?' - Walter Shapiro

It has been nearly eight years since the 9/11 attacks and it seems time for America to return to traditional moral values as it continues to battle terrorism. - Walter Shapiro

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 16 comments

wbdace

Jul 17, 2009 10:26 AM CDT

If you read the Constitution you'll notice it doesn't make a distinction between "forigners" and citizens, it talks about the rights of people.

Spydiggity

Jul 16, 2009 6:19 AM CDT

Blindly obeying unjust actions because it's "your job" is hardly patriotic or admirable. fortunately, there is no hell, so you're in the same boat as the rest of us. as for the 'hit squads.' they aren't taking out the "most dangerous" ppl in the world. they are targeting ppl who get in the way of corporate profits and control.

Caps

Jul 15, 2009 10:22 AM CDT

But I thought Bush was going to smoke him out several years ago. What happened???? I think he had been watching to many western movies.

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Bush administration • War on Terror • Dick Cheney • CIA • assassination • al-Qaeda • paramilitary

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CIA Assassin Squads: Who Is It OK to Kill?