The house in which three Americans used to stay is seen in Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), Thursday, July 8, 2004. Three Americans were arrested on Monday, during a raid in Kabul. The three tricked NATO (news - web sites) peacekeepers into helping them on illegal raids in the capital, getting the international force to send explosives experts and bomb-sniffing dogs to check buildings where they had arrested suspects. A spokesman says the men seemed authentic, decked out in faux U.S. Army uniforms. Afghan officials say the three could spend 20 years in jail on charges of hostage-taking and assault of Afghans allegedly found beaten and hanging upside down in their private jail. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Well, well, well. Very interesting.
I've been wondering for quite some time whether there are Americans out there who take it upon themselves to take the war to the enemy.
From the movie Swordfish:
Stanley (Hugh Jackman): War? Who are we at war with?
Gabriel (John Travolta): Anyone who impinges on America's freedom. Terrorist states, Stanley. Someone must bring their war to them. They bomb a church, we bomb 10. They hijack a plane, we take out an airport. They execute American tourists, we tactically nuke an entire city. Our job is to make terrorism so horrific that is becomes unthinkable to attack Americans.
The whole purpose of offering a $25 million dollar reward is to attract private actors to do what the official agents can't do.
If these free-lancers were torturing innocents, then they deserve to be shut down most firmly. But we shouldn't be shocked if our rewards inspire free-lancing; that is what they're supposed to do.
With many millions riding on the capture of key baddies, who hasn't thought about organizing a team to go and do it Just make sure the people you need to pay off get paid off if you don't want to be on the inside of the jail cell.