Boneheads

[chickenfeet]

I wanted to comment on one aspect of the "liquidation" of the young Brazilian in London. The propriety of the police action will, clearly, be debated for some time and there are most certainly questions that need answers. If it was, as seems highly likely, a complete balls up, then we need to consider the wisdom of allowing the use of lethal force by the incompetent, at the very least.

But, the act itself aside, what I wonder, were the police and government thinking when they announced that the lethal force policy had been adopted on the advice of the Israelis? Now, no-one can deny that the Israelis have a lot of experience of suicide bombers but what muslim (or indeed other reasonable person) is going to believe that an Israeli driven policy is going to balance the rights of innocent people who happen to have the wrong skin colour in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I think it's pretty well recognised that the only way militant Islamic terrorism can be defeated is through the co-operation of the majority of peaceful law abiding muslims. I know it's asking a lot to expect plods and pollies to think before they open their mouths but it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Comments

[ceruleanblue3.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

They beat you to it - as of last night at any rate they aren't talking about Israelis anymore, instead they they have learnt from the Sri Lankans (of all people) who insist on this technique to deal with Tamil Tigers doing similar things.

[scarletdemon.livejournal.com]

This whole fiasco just gets worse and worse.

[tanuja.livejournal.com]

Mr Tanuja was listening to a human rights lawyer on Radio 4 yesterday who came out this interesting fact:

During the 70's & 80's at the height of the IRA bombings, on several occassions Parliament discussed and debated whether to allow the police to go to a shoot to kill policy. On each occassion the debate resulted in Parliament voting not to allow a shoot to kill policy. Since July 7th, Charles Clarke and Tony Blair, apparently without any debate or discussion or approval of Parliament, have approved the Met to use a shoot to kill policy.

I completely agree with your final point that co-operation is the key.