ON AIR AT 1100GMT: Is it acceptable for a state to carry out an assassination abroad?
|
Wednesday, 5 May 2011
|12:00 - 12:30 GMT
The death of Osama bin Laden is still the biggest talking point around the world. Lots of people have got in touch with World Have Your Say over the last couple of day celebrating bin Laden's death, saying killing him or capturing him made no difference to them they just want the threat removed.
But is it ever OK to go into someone else's country to carry out such a killing? This columnist thinks it's a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty - something former President Musharraf has also argued.
This article in the new Yorker questions the legality of the US action.
nickersan tweets‎
I'd have thought the US might have had a question or two for Bin Laden rather than going the extrajudicial killing route #justthinking
climateactivist‎ tweets
Little surprised that the extra-judicial killing of a foreign national on the soverign territory of another nation is being celebrated
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
12:25
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Moiz posts: We have no problem if OBL or any other terrorist is killed. But this type of intrusion is also terrorism.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:23
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Kai Wright writes on Common Dreams.org: President Obama is the leader of a nation in which justice is but a distant dream for millions of residents. And yet, the Nobel Peace Prize winner can fix his mouth to say that killing a man on the other side of the globe provides proof of America's exceptionalism.
Comment sent via Facebook
12:18
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Ronex in Malawi posts: Its unfair. The USA must respect other nation's independence and act accordingly.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:16
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Imjenrus posted on the Salt Lake Tribune news site: The action of Obama ordering this operation without the consent of Pakistan could be construed as an act of war. We in the US would have condemned any such action were it to happen here. But, was this the right call? Damn right is was! And if they don't like it then kick us out. And in the future we should not hesitate to do the same, not only in Pakistan, but any country in the world.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:15
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Finding_Nico tweets: What a coincidence that its now OK the US violates Pakistan sovereignty 4 Bin Laden to justify invading all other nations on terror reasons
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12:15
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Washington posts: Border crossing without permission or coordination is a clear violation of sovereignty.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:12
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Sabhlok tweets: Pakistan, there is no sovereign right to kill others and argue national sovereignty
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12:11
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Abdulrahman posts: The US government is supposed to inform its Pakistani counterparts to show some respect as long as the operation is on Pakistani land.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
12:08
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Mihai posted on ejiltalk.com: For me this targeted killing isn't different from any other targeted killing. The same legal problems associated with it still apply, especially since these killings were again performed by JSOC units and the strike took place in an area relatively close to Pakistan's capital and not in the 'lawless' FATA provinces where the Pakistani government de facto doesn't have real control over its territory.
Comment sent via Facebook
12:07
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Sumera posts: America has no right to do any operation in any other country and without their permission it was absolutely wrong. That was just to put pressure on Pakistan.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
11:59
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Sentletse tweets: It is pathetic how the Pakistani president Zardari is groveling at the US after it had violated his country's national sovereignty.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
11:59
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Greg Easterbrook writes on the Reuters blog: A few days ago, the United States tried to kill Muammar Gaddafi, using bombs. U.S. law forbids the targeted killing of heads of state, making the U.S. airstrike troubling on many levels. But bin Laden was not a head of state, he was a stateless criminal and an obvious threat to the lives of others. There's no legal concern here.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
11:58
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Sparkly Mary posts on Discuss Anything.com: This was not an invasion of the country, nor was it an act of war against the country. OBL was basically an illegal immigrant there, so we went in and deported him for them. I don't view this in any way as an act of war against Pakistan.
Comment sent via Facebook
11:57
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Abigail in Florida posted: I believe, in this case, the good that resulted was worth it. And I would point out there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that Pakistani intelligence and secret service knew he was there.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
11:56
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Shaheen3 tweets: I get why Pakistan is angry about America gettin #OBL. Argentina was similarly angry when Israel violated its sovereignty to get to Eichmann.
Comment sent via host
11:53
113631290
We''re on air now continuing our discussions on the death of Osama bin Laden
ON AIR AT 1100GMT: Is it acceptable for a state to carry out an assassination abroad?
| Wednesday, 5 May 2011 | 12:00 - 12:30 GMT
The death of Osama bin Laden is still the biggest talking point around the world. Lots of people have got in touch with World Have Your Say over the last couple of day celebrating bin Laden's death, saying killing him or capturing him made no difference to them they just want the threat removed.
But is it ever OK to go into someone else's country to carry out such a killing? This columnist thinks it's a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty - something former President Musharraf has also argued.
This article in the new Yorker questions the legality of the US action.
nickersan tweets‎
I'd have thought the US might have had a question or two for Bin Laden rather than going the extrajudicial killing route #justthinking
climateactivist‎ tweets
Little surprised that the extra-judicial killing of a foreign national on the soverign territory of another nation is being celebrated
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
Moiz posts: We have no problem if OBL or any other terrorist is killed. But this type of intrusion is also terrorism.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Kai Wright writes on Common Dreams.org: President Obama is the leader of a nation in which justice is but a distant dream for millions of residents. And yet, the Nobel Peace Prize winner can fix his mouth to say that killing a man on the other side of the globe provides proof of America's exceptionalism.
Comment sent via Facebook
Ronex in Malawi posts: Its unfair. The USA must respect other nation's independence and act accordingly.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Imjenrus posted on the Salt Lake Tribune news site: The action of Obama ordering this operation without the consent of Pakistan could be construed as an act of war. We in the US would have condemned any such action were it to happen here. But, was this the right call? Damn right is was! And if they don't like it then kick us out. And in the future we should not hesitate to do the same, not only in Pakistan, but any country in the world.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Finding_Nico tweets: What a coincidence that its now OK the US violates Pakistan sovereignty 4 Bin Laden to justify invading all other nations on terror reasons
Comment sent via Facebook
Washington posts: Border crossing without permission or coordination is a clear violation of sovereignty.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Sabhlok tweets: Pakistan, there is no sovereign right to kill others and argue national sovereignty
Comment sent via Facebook
Abdulrahman posts: The US government is supposed to inform its Pakistani counterparts to show some respect as long as the operation is on Pakistani land.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Mihai posted on ejiltalk.com: For me this targeted killing isn't different from any other targeted killing. The same legal problems associated with it still apply, especially since these killings were again performed by JSOC units and the strike took place in an area relatively close to Pakistan's capital and not in the 'lawless' FATA provinces where the Pakistani government de facto doesn't have real control over its territory.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sumera posts: America has no right to do any operation in any other country and without their permission it was absolutely wrong. That was just to put pressure on Pakistan.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Sentletse tweets: It is pathetic how the Pakistani president Zardari is groveling at the US after it had violated his country's national sovereignty.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Greg Easterbrook writes on the Reuters blog: A few days ago, the United States tried to kill Muammar Gaddafi, using bombs. U.S. law forbids the targeted killing of heads of state, making the U.S. airstrike troubling on many levels. But bin Laden was not a head of state, he was a stateless criminal and an obvious threat to the lives of others. There's no legal concern here.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Sparkly Mary posts on Discuss Anything.com: This was not an invasion of the country, nor was it an act of war against the country. OBL was basically an illegal immigrant there, so we went in and deported him for them. I don't view this in any way as an act of war against Pakistan.
Comment sent via Facebook
Abigail in Florida posted: I believe, in this case, the good that resulted was worth it. And I would point out there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that Pakistani intelligence and secret service knew he was there.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Shaheen3 tweets: I get why Pakistan is angry about America gettin #OBL. Argentina was similarly angry when Israel violated its sovereignty to get to Eichmann.
Comment sent via host
We''re on air now continuing our discussions on the death of Osama bin Laden