Posted on 09/13/2001 3:42:47 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - A top House Republican is pushing for legislation that would permit the United States to use assassination as a tool to get back at terrorists and others who pose national security threats.
Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, believes the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Tuesday provide an opportunity for Congress to pass the Terrorist Elimination Act, which he introduced earlier this year.
Barr called on his congressional colleagues to take "real steps towards untying the hands" of the U.S. military and intelligence community in order to fight what he called the "war against terrorism."
"The grief and mourning all of us are feeling today must be balanced by our resolve to identify and take action against those responsible for these despicable and cowardly acts," said Barr. "I call on Congress and the president to immediately pass and sign into law the Terrorist Elimination Act."
Barr's legislation would nullify several provisions of executive orders that were passed during the Ford, Carter and Reagan administrations, which banned U.S.-sanctioned assassinations of terrorist leaders.
Barr believes such a policy "prevent(s) necessary surgical strikes against known terrorist leaders."
"We must give our government every tool at hand to combat those persons who threaten and destroy American lives, and commit terrorist acts across the world," Barr said.
The bill was introduced last January and still awaits action in the House International Relations Committee.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday didn't indicate what action the administration would take against the terrorists.
"The American people have a clear understanding that this is a war. That's the way they see it. You can't see it any other way, whether legally that is correct or not," said Powell Wednesday. "We've got to respond as if it is a war. We've got to respond with the sense that it isn't going to be resolved with a single counterattack against one individual."
Powell also said the United States was not about to immediately launch any military operation and did not yet know who was behind the attacks.
"We are far from selecting any particular military targets or how to go after those targets at this time. We have go to build a case,'' Powell said.
Men make war.
Two quick points....You can't make war against an individual (Bin Laden)...and when fighting these types of cowards, the "Fight fire with Fire' axiom is a fairly servicable one...
If, for example, Bin Laden had been targeted and removed ASAP after his very 1st terrorist act, many other atrocities would have been prevented. The dismanteling of national security policies and procedures by the Clinton adminstration, and the tolerance of known terrorists has now resulted in these acts of war upon our own people and mainland.
Were Daschle and Gephardt really singing? I didn't see their mouths moving very much.
They don't know the words.
We are seen as contemptibly weak! This cannot be.
We have to be tough, and be perceived as tough. If we had entered Afghanistan days after the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and assassinated Bin Laden, not only would the WTC be standing today and 10,000 plus lives been spared, but every other terrorist organization would think twice before rousing the sleeping giant.
We must take Iraq while the world is sympathetic to our plight. Pump enough oil to significantly reduce oil prices, stimulating the world economy. The lower oil prices will cause the mideast regimes to collapse so we must set up democracies there. Buy western Jordan for a new Palestinian state with infrastructure paid for by the Iraqi oil fields. Create US bases in Iraq from which to enforce regional stability. Afghanistan/Syria/Iran/Sudan are much easier to deal with once the US bases are in place with a million troops to back up our policies. And it gets rid of the requirement for US carriers over there and for massive military support of Israel.
DO IT NOW. WE MUST USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STABILIZE THE MIDEAST AND NEUTRALIZE TERRORISM.
BUMP
O'Reilly is a squishy socialist.
His tag line is "Who is looking out for us?"
He is looking for Big Brother.
XeniaSt
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