Nov 10 2008
Does the US Have a Secret Order to Attack Al-Qaeda Worldwide?
In what may be another blunder by the Bush administration, the NY Times is reporting today about a Secret Order to Attack Al-Qaeda Worldwide:
WASHINGTON — The United States military since 2004 has used broad, secret authority to carry out nearly a dozen previously undisclosed attacks against Al Qaeda and other militants in Syria, Pakistan and elsewhere, according to senior American officials.
These military raids, typically carried out by Special Operations forces, were authorized by a classified order that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed in the spring of 2004 with the approval of President Bush, the officials said. The secret order gave the military new authority to attack the Qaeda terrorist network anywhere in the world, and a more sweeping mandate to conduct operations in countries not at war with the United States.
Undoubtedly a response to the September 11 attacks, but this seems very dangerous. Why would you need this type of broad authority?
According to a senior administration official, the new authority was spelled out in a classified document called “Al Qaeda Network Exord,” or execute order, that streamlined the approval process for the military to act outside officially declared war zones. Where in the past the Pentagon needed to get approval for missions on a case-by-case basis, which could take days when there were only hours to act, the new order specified a way for Pentagon planners to get the green light for a mission far more quickly, the official said.
Truth be told, the American people wanted to see action in response to 9/11 and they wanted action now. Knowing politics, these types of attacks would take a long time to approve and I’m quite certain that the Al-Qaeda targets would be long-gone when the approvals came. These groups are organized, professional, and always on the move.
Fighting a war with terror is not like fighting a standard war. Terrorists don’t fight fair. Terrorists don’t fight by the rules. Terrorists want the biggest impact for their action; even if it means killing innocents. Terrorists only understand one thing, to kill. How does a “civilized” nation fight that type of group and still maintain the moral high ground? I’m not sure you can.
One thing I know for certain, this policy will be eliminated under President Obama and I hope it is not a mistake.
