Where the Buck Stops

(Post originally published October 7, 2013)

“Al Libby” was finally apprehended in Libya. If I have heard the news correctly, US special forces went in and whisked him out to a military detention centre. If you do not know who Al Libby is by now, he is an individual suspected of taking part in planning and carrying out the terrorist bombings against various US embassies in Africa a number of years ago. I do not know if I have spelled his name correctly, but this time I do not care. If you are a terrorist and have created havoc against my country, you do not deserve the dignity of having your infamous nom de guerre spelled correctly, but I digress.

Already the usual cries have risen up around the world declaring that America the ‘bully’ has once more barged in and stomped on the sovereign rights of other nations, in this case, Libya, without due process. While I disapprove of the concept of any government (including my own) jumping in and taking matters into their own hands regarding another country’s citizens or residents without resorting to proper extradition procedures, etc. etc., I was struck with the question: where does the buck stop?

How could we forget the millions if not billions of dollars the USA has been pouring into supposed allies like Pakistan in terms of governmental assistance and aid the last decade or so during the War on Terror only to be treated like a patsy for years with the Osama Bin Laden fiasco? Come on! If you claim to be our ally and are quite willing to take our citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars, not to mention claim to be anti- Al Qaeda like us, then you certainly have a moral obligation to hand over our enemies and not hide them for decades at a time! You cannot tell me the Pakistani government had no idea where Osama was, hiding out next to a military academy like he was in a huge complex with all his wives and followers in attendance. Uncle Sam had every right in that instance to fly in with guns blazing and go after him, having paid dearly for that right in blood and money.

So, what about all the other countries who so wilfully take all our aid and assistance to shore up their broke governments and militaries, and yet will do little or next to nothing to help apprehend our enemies, if not outright help to slow up the extradition process, allowing them to elude capture? You dare take our cash, call us ‘friend’, and stab us in the back? If those countries will not fulfil their moral obligation out of gratitude or a sense of duty, then it is my opinion America has certainly paid for the right to go in and grab a man or woman here or there that has done untold damage to our nation and our true allies, and bring them to justice. The US embassies in other countries are our sovereign soil too. Despite these strong opinions, I do not support torture nor long years of imprisonment without a fair trial. Our country should become a model of justice it hopes to show to the world, and I hope that after the suspects are apprehended, they are treated fairly and with due process of the law.

The conclusion to my political rant is this: dear countries of the world, if you do not want the US to interfere in the management of your affairs and your citizens, then please learn to support yourselves and return all monetary and all other grants that have been granted to you. In fact, I would also demand compound interest! On the other hand, if you agree to benefit by our generous help, then please note you have sold the right to sacrosanct boundaries when it comes to hiding terrorists and criminals, especially if they are affiliated in any way with Al Qaeda. Do not forget where the buck stops.