I looked at my world map and found no country named "Al-Qaeda". Does the fact that this group (we really do not know who are members) may cross national boundaries give the USA right to bomb anyone on the planet? And for how long --- century after century?

Glenn, I have not even seen an administration willing to try these Al-Qaeda men in a court under US law and convict them of doing the deed. And yet, we get a make-war-anytime card to trump all codes of morality and decency?

Damn!

By the way, how does Obama intend to make sure we bomb "Al-Qaeda" instead of women and children on the way to a wedding? The military always uses the "if it is dead it was the enemy" test of who got killed. Will Obama use the same?

It was my understanding that Obama intends to bomb a country called Pakistan and not a group called Al-Qaeda.

How many innocents need die for the 3,000 innocents that died on 9-11? Will it be the biblical 7 fold; or must it be many more?

heru-ur: I looked at my world map and found no country named "Al-Qaeda".

Gleen: You should look at UN Resolutions which define it as a terrorist organization and you'll see it there.

A "terrorist organization" is not a country. Bush has spent 7 years peddling this BS that we can eliminate a non-governmental group by invading nations. (all of which seem to be on one of our allies hit list, odd that)

Will you next tell me that a Mafia hit in Chicago justifies destroying Italy?

As many have pointed out in the past, this would have been far better handled as a police matter and let police find the culprits. (or our spooks if it came to that)

heru-ur: Does the fact that this group (we really do not know who are members) may cross national boundaries give the USA right to bomb anyone on the planet? And for how long --- century after century?

Glenn: I didn't make any claim about whether Obama's policy is just -- only that glib references to waiting until someone has attacked us doesn't resolve the question, since Al Qaeda already has.

It is not a glib reference. I advocate following the constitution and international law as a minimum. Obama is not authorised under the constitution to invade Pakistan. The congress can declare war --- not Obama.

If you really want a safe country, investigate the Swiss idea of national defence.

heru-ur: Glenn, I have not even seen an administration willing to try these Al-Qaeda men in a court under US law and convict them of doing the deed.

Glenn: How are we supposed to try them if they're in Pakistan and the Pakistani Government won't apprehend them? What do you suggest be done? Just let them be?

We have had hundreds of men in our prisons around the globe that we could have tried in a normal American court. In fact, the white house spokeswoman said a few days ago that it was not bin Laden who was mastermind but some other fellow named Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that we have in our prison now; why do I not see a trial on TV right now?

heru-ur: By the way, how does Obama intend to make sure we bomb "Al-Qaeda" instead of women and children on the way to a wedding?

Glenn: That's true of the wars you explicitly justified. Even if a country attacks us first, your belief that we can then attack back means that we'll be bombing wedding parties. That's intrinsic to war - it kills people who have done nothing wrong. That's a reason why it should be absolutely avoided unless absolutely necessary, but the fact that it happens isn't proof that a specific war is wrong, unless you're a pacifist and opposed to all wars.

I did not "justify" any such thing. If attacked one may defend; but one does not then have the moral or legal right to run off killing women and children.

Glenn, we have no declared war and yet Obama wants to bomb Pakistan --- a nuclear armed nation of 160 million or so people. That is almost as bad as McCain.

It would take a lot for me to say that a given war was "just", and bombing innocent women and children for something that happened seven years ago just makes no moral or legal sense to me.

Why not bomb Saudi Arabia? Did not most of the hijackers come from there? Why not bomb Germany? Did not the planning take place at a German university?

How many dead will it take to appease Obama? Are the Democrats to "prove" they are every bit the killers that the Republicans are? Is this the strategy?

Our nation is justified in bombing the hell out out of a sudden cotillion of Russian nuclear subs they can't explain off our shores. ... -- -Mona

We now see that there is no difference in the position of Mona and the present white house. She would start a nuclear war that would wipe out all Western Civilization at least because, just because she saw a few subs in international waters near our boarders. Were they even boomers or not? (makes a difference you know)

She cares not that we have ringed the edge of Russia with offensive nukes since the early days of the cold war and have even had top USA generals call for a first strike. (see LeMay)

Well, your war-mongering statement does point to one very important topic. Why has America abandoned the idea of nuclear disarmament in the era where we were the only super power and could have made it happen? (Or, at least have a good chance of making it happen)

If one needs to ask, one does not know the character of the Americans, eh?