Intersting debate on the death of Bin Laden

[Gob]

[Lord Jim]

I wish that feather-brained woman who made the opening statement had had the opportunity to participate in the raid on OBL's compound...she could have walked up to him to slap on the handcuffs...

She's "depressed" that Osama Bin Ladin was killed? Wow, she's in need of some serious anti-depressants if something like that depresses her....

Geesus...

[Lord Jim]

Gee, that's a really "balanced" debate....

One rational clear thinking person, versus three chowderheads....

[Sue U]

She's "depressed" that Osama Bin Ladin was killed? Wow, she's in need of some serious anti-depressants if something like that depresses her....

That's not what she said. She said she was depressed by what she sees as the degradation of American democracy.

Paddy Ashdown is eminently sensible and principled on this issue, and shows Douglas Murray to be an idiot.

[Lord Jim]

Well I guess that's what makes horse races...

From where I sit, Murray was the only one at that table talking sense...

ETA:

I thought Ashdown came across as a pompous, condescending, self-righteous gas bag....

[oldr_n_wsr]

Can't watch it (blocked), can someone give me highlights? sounds interesting.

[rubato]

Had it been possible, I think a lot of people would agree that the arrest and trial of Bin Laden would have been preferable in many ways. One of which is that the ability to exercise the mechanisms of law on someone like this is a greater demonstration of power, and a way of concretely illustrating that "the world" thinks he is evil, than just killing him was.

But that is 'had it been possible'. The evidence that it was not is reasonably good.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

I thought Ashdown came across as a pompous, condescending, self-righteous gas bag....

He's all of those, but he's also a very respected ex-soldier and diplomat too.

After his father's business collapsed, Ashdown passed the naval scholarship examination to pay for his school fees, but left before taking A-levels and joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before Special Forces training in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Service and commanded a Special Boat Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast.

Intelligence officer and diploma

Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6). As cover, he worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as first secretary to the United Kingdom mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. At the UN Ashdown was responsible for relations with several UN organisations, and was also involved in the negotiation of several international treaties, and some aspects of the Helsinki Conference.

Aka "Paddy Pantsdown" for his affairs.