<<I don’t expect the CIA never to make mistakes. However, deliberating violating international law by assassination is another story.>>
Of course. I gave you my rational. You still didn’t tell me about Hitler.
<<. We supported, and still do support regimes that are equally and in fact more oppressive.>> I do not care how oppressive Saudi Arabia is. It’s their buisness. Iraq oppresses its people and is a theat to our security. So is Cuba. Right now, nobody wishes to position missles on their soil. I’m sure it’s only matter of time. Castro needs money and as soon as he finds a willing payer…you’ll see. It was CIA that discovered Soviet missles then, which lead to Kennedy demand, etc. I’m sure, Castro still remembers. But right price, changed times and guys like you may make him forget. Or his successor. I’d rather CIA keep an eye on Castro. As to kill him…eh, probably he’s not worth the trouble. But you still didn’t answer about Hitler…
<<At any rate, the US should not be assassinating world leaders. It’s not legal by international law, and it’s not ethical.>> We do not assassinate them anymore. Maybe, that’s why there are so many tyrants and dictators now. They are not afraid. But, as I said, I do not want to be worlds policeman. We did nothing to Duvalier, he was not menacing. Haitian people did. If another Hitler comes, I’d rather CIA assassinated him. It’s better to be alive than unethical. Or than to be an ethical corpse.
<<This sort of thing also subverts democracy in our own country.>> Right now Al Gore subverts democracy in out country, not the CIA: he lost the election and wants the courts to appoint him president. Without Al Gore, how does CIA “subvert democracy”? Do not repeat senselessly what you’ve heard from liberal professor at the college.
<< We have no control over what the CIA does, it does it in secret, and we find out about much later, if at all.>> Yes, you and Saddam would like to know in advance about CIA plans, I know.
<<In the case I am thinking of, it is clear that the civilian was an innocent. >> Again, I do not equate that particular civilian with Aden/Cole terrorists. I deeply regret his death. I am not for killing people in the field, even if they were “involved”: we have courts, etc. All I’m saying is: that are times, when we (CIA) have to kill (terorrists, Hitlers), even if “unethical”. We’ll wash our hands, if they get dirty. It’s better than to wash our bload off them later. Do not treat CIA as unruly teenager out of control. Usually it knows what it is doing.