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Saturday, 02 November 2013

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Seems a shame to let this go by without a single comment. So here goes......

True to its English origins, the USA is a country based on the rule of law. Or is it? Murdering other people's citizens is illegal. Flying in other people's airspace without permission is illegal. If you want to do these things, you should declare war and face the consequences. Just wait till Chinese drones start taking out people in California. You won't be able to hear yourself think for the squealing!

Well, BOE, hence my reservations although I do not rule such action out altogether. I repeat, if, as a head of state I learn that some group is plotting a mass killing of my fellow subjects/citizens then I would be derelict inmy duty not to take some action against them. However, of course, the ramifications must be weighed in the balance. Who's be a president or prime minister?

You understand, BoE, we are at the point of simply stopping Occupy Resolute Desk from drone striking American citizens. We believe in the Rule of Law, ORD does not.

The Resolute Desk matter reminds me of another legal conundrum. When the US and UK outlawed the slave trade, they declared that anyone captured on the high seas on a slave ship, other than the actual slaves, could be executed. Most of these ships flew foreign flags, of nations with whom neither country was at war. What to do? Similarly, sort of, are terrorists, flying no flag of any nation-state but clearly at war with us, even though we can not declare war on Islam, or terror, no matter what Mr Bush might say. Except for the Somali pirates, they are on land, but we are still all at sea. I am thoroughly appalled at the drone strikes, but law, well, it has not yet been written.

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