U.S. general wants Afghan militants branded terrorists

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

U.S. general wants Afghan militants branded terrorists
14 mins ago
Phil Stewart

President Barack Obama's pick to lead the U.S. military command overseeing operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere said on Tuesday he wanted top leaders of two major insurgent groups designated as terrorists.

The Quetta Shura and the Haqqani network oppose U.S. forces in Afghanistan and officially blacklisting their leaders could trigger punitive measures, like freezing assets. Advocates say it would also send a strong message to Pakistan, under pressure to go after insurgents inside its borders.

"Both those groups have engaged in terrorism and I believe the leaders of both groups should be placed on the State Department list," General James Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Mattis is nominated to take over the helm of the U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees operations in a volatile swath of the world that covers 20 countries and stretches from Egypt across the Middle East and into South and Central Asia.




Read more: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100728/tpl-uk-usa-afghanistan-terrorist-81f3b62.html

[bemildred]

1. Oh yeah, he's going to do just great. nt

[saigon68]

19. He is an "older" punk ass war criminal

[hobbit709]

2. Who else in history had that idea?

Didn't work out too well for them, I recall.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. If a foreign army invaded the US and we fought back, we'd be terrorists, right?

Wait ...

hang on...

Oh yeah: IT'S NOT WRONG WHEN WE DO IT! USA! USA! USA!

[msongs]

4. that's funny, the people of Afghanistan probably think the same thing about him nt

[Canuckistanian]

12. +1

Jesus, the nerve of an invading country coming in and declaring militants "terrorists" and effectively asking for suspension of Geneva Convention laws.

It's THEIR country. Let the AFGHANS decide who the 'terrorists' are.

[unkachuck]

5. Mattis....

....more of the same we can't believe in....it smells like more selling of Islamophobia to me....

[L0oniX]

6. Yea ...that's a laugh. A terrorist calling another a terrorist.

Hey ...let's just go ahead and call repukes terrorists too.

[24601]

7. It's not their ideology or objectives that makes them terrorists, or

not. Instead, it's the tactics they use. If you intentionally target non-combatants in order to intimidate, coerce & terrorize the population, they should be on the terrorists list. It they target only combatants (even with unintentional non-combatant deaths), they they shouldn't be on the list.

[bemildred]

8. So basically it's a thought crime, it all depends on what your intentions are? nt

[24601]

9. Intent, as opposed to motive, is the norm for culpability. This is

criminal law 101.

[bemildred]

10. So if I run a red light, but I intended to stop, the cop will let me go? nt

[24601]

11. It's not up to the police to adjudicate your intent - that's the role of

the courts. You also get into the complex issues of general verses specific intent.

[bemildred]

13. So then you need a court to brand someone a terrorist? The general can't do it? nt

[24601]

14. "Branding" them is essentially an allegation - like the traffic ticket

for running a light.

It's the duly-constituted court or tribunal that adjudicates allegations. Otherwise, why even try KSM? Just execute him and be done with it. And I thought anybody could hang pirates but the Somalis aren't being hung these days.

Of course people killed in combat ops don't go to trial - just as the crooks killed in the shootout during the robbery don't end up in court after death. A good example of this was the snipers taking out the three Somali pirates holding the US Ship captain hostage. "Saw Somalis, shot same...."

[bemildred]

15. So then the General wants permission to call people terrorists, or what?

Who does he want to brand them as terrorists? If it's just name calling, then what is he asking for? Is he really just saying he wants to call people terrorists? I would not think his right to do that is in question.

[24601]

18. No, he wants the State Department to put their organizations on the

DOS list of terror groups. Its not a military or judicial thing - but DOS keeps the official list of terrorist organizations. It isn't aimed a individuals but at groups. It's up to Hillary Clinton, not Bob Gates.

[bemildred]

20. So then the State Department decides what their intentions are? Not a court? nt

[24601]

22. Decides it too strong a word - it's more of an allegation, not the

final word. State can't lock anybody up.

[No Elephants]

24. Being labeled a "terrorist" has lots of consequences, including military and judicial.

[No Elephants]

23. Which non-combatants have the Afghan militants allegedly targeted?

When the U.S. attacks and invades your country and installs a corrupt puppet government, what the hell are your options if you're not totally cool with that?

The British saw colonial patriots as criminals. If Dummya had been around then to cheapen the word "terrorist," the Redcoats would have labeled them "terrorists." And they did not target only Redcoats, either.

When you're fed up and you don't have as much firepower or political power as the British, you do whatever you can, if you're a patriot who wants freedom, and you're brave enough to fight for it however you can, despite all odds.

Shall we denounce our liberating American patriots as terrorists, too?

[Prometheus Bound]

16. Ya, because they don't fight fair.

If they were real men, they'd stand out in the open and see how their AK-47s and $5 IEDs match up against US bombs and missiles.
:sarcasm:

[captain jack]

17. Pretty soon anyone that says boo to the United States will be labeled a terrorist.

Why would I trust what General James Mattis says? Because he told me so? Isn't he the one that said it's fun to kill people? Whatever.

[western mass]

21. More change you can believe in

Remember when the Bush admin re-defined "manufacturing jobs" to include fast food workers, and then proudly announced an increase in manufacturing jobs under their wise leadership?

Good to see Obama's handpicked leaders carrying on the tradition.

[another saigon]

25. "It's fun to shoot some people."

Gen. James Mattis commanded marines in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 and 2004. He is pictured here in Camp Pendleton, Calif., in March.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0708/Gen.-James-Mattis-Petraeus-s-new-boss-boasts-a-salty-mouth-keen-mind


Speaking of the Taliban, he said in 2005: "It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you. I like brawling." To Iraqi military leaders in 2003, he said: ""I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you *expletive* with me, I'll kill you all."

Following the professional demise of McChrystal, who resigned after belittling numerous members of the Obama administration in a Rolling Stone article, Mattis might seem an odd choice.

But Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that Mattis has learned his lesson. And perhaps more important, Mattis's comments were not aimed at the civilian chain of command, but rather spoke to his warrior's worldview.

[IBEWVET]

26. Its time to leave, before more lives are lost. eom