I whole-heartedly endorse that we should greatly increase our humint capabilities and reduce our love affair with the Matrix.
But assassination is a dangerous game, and one we played extensively in the 60's and 70's.
1) It is de-stabilizing, so the enemy that emerges could be worse.
2) The development of assassination capability in our intelligence services creates another center of power which could become independent of our national ability to control it, not unlike the ancient Praetorian Guard. Did this happen in some of the 60's assassinations?
Its a tough call when we are comparing assassination to boots on the ground. Perhaps continued use of special forces and drones, with greatly increased humint and reduced confidence in our sigint?
There is a clear analog here with the shadow war between Iran and Israel.
I whole-heartedly endorse that we should greatly increase our humint capabilities and reduce our love affair with the Matrix.
But assassination is a dangerous game, and one we played extensively in the 60's and 70's.
1) It is de-stabilizing, so the enemy that emerges could be worse.
2) The development of assassination capability in our intelligence services creates another center of power which could become independent of our national ability to control it, not unlike the ancient Praetorian Guard. Did this happen in some of the 60's assassinations?
Its a tough call when we are comparing assassination to boots on the ground. Perhaps continued use of special forces and drones, with greatly increased humint and reduced confidence in our sigint?
There is a clear analog here with the shadow war between Iran and Israel.