Secret U.S. Missile Aims to Kill Only Terrorists, Not Nearby Civilians

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 9, 2019 8:03 a.m. ET | Gordon Lubold and Warren P. Strobel

[Demanwideplan]

I say BS. With our military and technology, the very first target we eliminate is the political leadership of the country we are at war with. Once it is understood what we are willing to do, you can bet your last dollar there will be more diplomacy! We have to remove the war profiteers as well.

[schurmann]

“I say BS. With our military and technology, the very first target we eliminate is the political leadership of the country we are at war with. Once it is understood what we are willing to do, you can bet your last dollar there will be more diplomacy! We have to remove the war profiteers as well.” [Demanwideplan, post 71]

Not bad ideas, as general strategy is reckoned. Can’t disagree with the notion that willpower is lacking, among high-level officials, here and among allies.

Trouble is, the military is constrained by public law, executive branch policies, and the entire structure of DoD instructions and regulations.

Targeting of national-level leaders is contrary to law and policy. The military is not free to ignore this.

Without the military-industrial complex, we’d be back to throwing rocks in nothing flat. Not even smoothbores firing round balls can be supported. And things have changed a little since the 1780s.

Better that the war profiteers get their cut, than an entire generation is wiped out. Assuming we could even win that way.