POSTED BY SEVEN DAYS FREELANCE REPORTER KEVIN J. KELLEY
Add this one to the “Only in Burlington” file:
Two veteran peace activists called a news conference on Friday to condemn the killing of Osama bin Laden as an act of “murder” on the part of the Obama administration. The shooting of the unarmed Al Qaeda leader constitutes an assassination that violates standards of international justice as well as the founding principles of the United States, declared Burlington attorney Sandy Baird and Peace and Justice Center cofounder Robin Lloyd.
The two women acknowledged that very few Americans will share their view that bin Laden should have been arrested and put on trial rather than being, in Baird’s words, “summarily executed.” But it’s wrong to sacrifice principle for the sake of popularity, Baird and Lloyd argued.
“We are the only voices that don’t seem entirely gleeful about the assassination of Osama bin Laden,” Baird said, likening the reaction to the killing to “crowds cheering as though it were a sports event.” She criticized Vermont’s three congressional representatives for praising the action carried out by a U.S. Special Forces Team on May 1.
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This article appears in May 4-10, 2011.
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Peggy, do you have any sources you would like to provide for those numbers? “The kill ratio in the USA’s war is 7 civilians to every soldier. No one is talking about those lives, they are simply collateral damage.”A.) Civilian deaths are not taken lightly and B.) they are the cost of war. It’s why this country doesn’t start a war everytime someone does something we don’t like, it’s why countries should think twice about their actions and who they are harboring. Finally, what “rule of law” are you referring to? There was nothing illegal about killing bin Laden. As a terrorist bin Laden had no immunity under any international treaty or policy from targeted killing.
couldn’t agree more w/ the ladies. peace.
I am anti war and believe the rule of law should apply. But clearly it does not in the USA and never really has in war. Frankly I am less upset with the US killing bin Laden than with the daily killing of civilians often by unmanned drones. The kill ratio in the USA’s war is 7 civilians to every soldier. No one is talking about those lives, they are simply collateral damage. Bin Laden is culpable he has taken responsibility for al Quaeda and the attacks on the US. So at least for a change a major participant in terrorism was killed instead of the the long list of school chlldren, women and wedding parties that are the daily fare of US wars.
Oh give me a break Odum, principles? The woman made a statement that said it was illegal and violated law. That is entirely false. She is being mocked for her ignorance of the law when it is in actuality her profession, not for her belief. Believe it, you would be mocked if you couldn’t write and insisted on telling everyone you were a journalist. How disingenious to dismiss posters opinions and views by trying to blame it on a disagreement over principles. But since you went there, yes. Absolutely, I personally believe there was plenty of justification to kill the man. Some people will disagree as is their right. That’s the beauty of Democracy, each side has an opinion and a right to express it.
“Being principled just when it’s easy isn’t really being principled at all.”Try holding a “rally” somewhere that you’re not preaching to the choir – like a red state. You know, somewhere that there are actually heads that you might be able to turn, but you might get your ass kicked (or worse) in the process. THAT isn’t easy. Saying “killing anyone is bad” in Burlington, Vermont is the definition of easy.
No it didn’t have to happen. Greenwald today understands the feeling of revenge, but he also examines the ethical and moral considerations which Obama and his cronies are ignoring. http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/05/06/bin_laden/index.html(However, I doubt bin Laden engaged in subtle debates over the morality of random murders of civilians.)Thanks, ODUM.
Good for them. They have principles, and they’re sticking with them, even though they’re unpopular. All the mockery in the comments is predictable, but petty (at best).Being principled just when it’s easy isn’t really being principled at all.
How is it a rally when two people were there?
There are people dribbling crap like this all over the world. The “only in Burlington” part is that they’re being ignored everywhere else.
Whacko. The US has a POLICY not to assassinate HEADS OF STATE. bin Laden wasn’t even a head of state, nor is it even an official law? Obama ordered the assassination of an American, the first president to do so ever (at least officially on record) only a few months ago. Where were these loony toons then? http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7089899.eceThere's a new one. Hold a press conference to display your ignorance. Yes, file it only in Burlington.