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2006-08-09 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by Fred 2006-08-09 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11125 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Yes: Kill the charismatic leaders. It's also a lot cheaper. I don't know why we worry about it. Terrorists would kill any head of state in an instant if they could. That world leaders won't be targets due to self-restraint on the part of the civilized world is about 90% self-indulgent fantasy and costs us a lot more opportunities and soldiers' lives than the policy is worth.

Posted by gorb 2006-08-09 01:35|| 2006-08-09 01:35|| Front Page Top

#2 Israel did after months of procrastination and debates eliminate "sheikh" Yassin, and in the same breath his successor Rantissi, and what happened? Hamas declared an unilateral cease-fire...

So, killing the charismatic leaders works.

Posted by leroidavid">leroidavid 2006-08-09 01:46|| 2006-08-09 01:46|| Front Page Top

#3 At the very least, it's a lot harder to work from underground than above! And maybe it's best to leave some pitiful excuse for a command that is ineffective so there isn't as much encouragement to form a new command.

Posted by gorb 2006-08-09 01:52|| 2006-08-09 01:52|| Front Page Top

#4 I don't think killing Yassin got Hamas to declare a cease-fire. It was their inability to retaliate with suicide bombings that got them to do so. If you can't make good on your threats, you try to save face by saying you're not going to attack anyway.

Posted by Apostate 2006-08-09 02:28|| 2006-08-09 02:28|| Front Page Top

#5 You're all right. It wasn't just killing the good sheikh. It was killing every leader and cannon fodderling that poked his head up, knocking down houses, and walling up the the suicide wannabes. Cumulative effect is so bad for morale.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-08-09 06:16|| 2006-08-09 06:16|| Front Page Top

#6 Yeah, what tw said. Pest management usually requires a comprehensive solution.

Posted by SteveS 2006-08-09 11:14|| 2006-08-09 11:14|| Front Page Top

#7 The first thing I thought when I read the headline is that even if Russia pulled out and left a moonscape devoid of life the Islamists would proclaim victory at driving the Russians out.

The real lesson of the day is the one that needs to be learned. If you sell arms to bad people those arms can and will be used against you eventually. Its not as if the Islamic world could make the components of a suicide belt by their own, they can only assemble.

Posted by rjschwarz 2006-08-09 14:17|| 2006-08-09 14:17|| Front Page Top

#8 "even if Russia pulled out and left a moonscape devoid of life the Islamists would proclaim victory at driving the Russians out"

Yeah, kinda like the Knight in the Holy Grail: Knight: "Come back and fight, ya coward!"
King Arthur: "What are you going to do, bleed on me?"

Posted by mcsegeek1 2006-08-09 16:12|| 2006-08-09 16:12|| Front Page Top

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