"Argh! Stupid Somalis! They're all ISIS! Gargh!"

I wonder if ISIS conducts legal reviews before they go out and commit a terrorist attack...

And I hope this chick is able to figure her shit out and get back to school as soon as possible. She is a Babson student, which means she has money and is smart. She is one of the ones we need to try and keep in the country.

"This statement came from ICE and you believe it without question?"

Is or is not ICE enforcing US immigration policy? Is it your opinion that they should not be enforcing policy, because that's what it sounds like.

My observation is that a lot of people this country really could use have been deported, and that sucks, but this is a nation of laws. I don't care what the law is, but whatever it is, it needs to be enforced. Even if a judge states that a person without authorization to be in the US can't be deported, then what. They're still here illegally. That doesn't change. It's no different than if someone at passport control at a border entry decided to waive someone through who didn't have valid entry credentials.

I live in Germany under a special status. I must do things to maintain that status. If at any time, Germany could elect to terminate this status, and I'd have 90 days to leave the country. If I were arrested at 91 days and deported, no one in Germany would bat an eyelash. I'm not sure why it is so controversial in the US, other than some weird form of tribalism.

"Were any of the thousands that Obama killed found guilty in a court of law and was the sentence injury or death?"

If you're declared a hostile combatant, the only judgement you're going to get is from the JAG lawyer advising the general on the legality of the strike.

"If you in are not questioning EVERYTHING that comes from this White House (until verified by at least 2 reliable sources) then you haven't been paying attention."

I've been in this business for a long time. The war against ISIS started with Obama, continued through Trump, was handed off to Biden, and handed off again to Trump.

The last time I had any interaction with ISIS in Somalia, Biden was president. Were the actions against ISIS under his administration a bad thing? I never thought so.

ISIS is the only adversary I've ever actually been happy about going after.

"Does that still make it "the US Government"?"

Traditionally, designation of an organization as a terrorist group has been an interagency effort led by State Department.

It does not appear to me that either Trump or Hegseth is aware of the scope of the trouble that may be coming their way.

"They could do the same thing to the Vatican. Doesn't actually make them terrorists."

The designation of cartels is different because it was done through executive order. Which means it can be un-done. Which is yet another reason I think Hegseth and Trump could face prosecution in the future. Its also why Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of US Sothern Command, quit last month. Given the choice, I would take retirement as an Admiral over prison any day.

"President Piggy needs congressional authorization for force"

This is what I think is going to earn Major Pete a prison sentence in 2028. And maybe a few other people.

I can't say for certain, but I don't think I would have followed any of these strike orders without a lawyer standing beside me and signed documentation that the strikes were legal IAW the Genevan Conventions and IHL. Other than ISIS, I never really liked killing anything. I don't even kill bugs. And it may make some people uncomfortable, but I even had a grudging respect for the Taliban. But personal feelings have no place in a conflict. If they do, that's OK, but you need to find another job.

"Cartels aren't terrorists"

They have been declared terrorist organizations by the US government as of 20 Feb 2025. What I don't know is whether or not they have been declared hostile combatants, which would be the next step in approving lethal actions against them.

"Do you believe the same vigorous reviews are happening under Trump and Hegseth?"

When I was doing this, there were expansive legal reviews at multiple levels to ensure that the target was a valid military target and any action against it complied with both the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law. That legal review would be handed off to the General Officer who would approve or disapprove the strikes. Ultimately, it was that star who would hold responsibility.

And I never was in a situation where the SECDEF personally ordered a strike. I have to make the assumption that the process has not changed all that much since I stopped doing this stuff, but prima facie it looks as if there may not be the type of vetting I did going on anymore.