Post by lab~rat >:-)Post by Mr.B1ackIMHO, mere "intent" isn't enough to rate a death
penalty except maybe in a serious case of treason.
And killing thousands of Americans doesn't qualify?
Actually no. "Treason" implies acting on behalf
of a hostile foreign GOVERNMENT ... but these
jihadists are non-governmental or extra-governmental.
I suppose you could declare Allah to be a "hostile
power" ... but bear in mind Allah is also the
JudeoChristian deity, simply by another name so
there might be a few complaints.
We're back to the problem of there being no
appropriate legal category for jihadists and
political terrorists. The idea of waging war
"for god" has become too far removed from the
western consciousness now ... neither civil
or military law completely describes what a
jihadist is or specifies appropriate sanctions
for what such individuals may do.
"Murder", aside from accidents/passions, is
assumed to be for some kind of personal gain
be it financial, political or emotional. But
jihadists aren't in it for themselves. When
they kill it's for a "higher power". When
political terrorists kill it's for "a
higher principle". Both theoretically benifit
ALL rather than just the killer or some small
group.
Jihadists are nothing really new ... so I can
only presume that western politicos and lawyers
have avoided creating a special category ON PURPOSE.
Exactly what that purpose may be ... hard to say,
but it has created a lot of problems. Even Obama
isn't sure what to do with the Gitmo 'detainees'.
Are they 'soldiers' ? Sort of. Are they 'criminals' ?
Sort of. Are they nutters ? Sort of.