Originally Posted by
j2k4
Originally Posted by
j2k4
This is germane precisely how?
The "What if it was Bush?" qualification was aimed at The, only.
I would go for that if your thread starting post hadn't been worded in the way it was because "non americans" hadn't started a thread yet.
However if you are going to ask a "what if" question then it seems reasonable that you answer the reverse question.
Originally Posted by
j2k4
I've already noted Litvinenko's contention that he was poisoned over his stance on Putin and Putin's politics, and in context with the murders of a string of journalists and other players who weren't Putin fans.
But he was a spy also, this is important. The fact that he says he is being targeted purely because of his stance on putin doesn't make it so.
I will concede that it may be a part of it in that if he is critical of his former country what else is he talking about? .................remember he was a spy.
Originally Posted by
j2k4
Are you so obsessed with what I think (or rather, what you think I think) that you can't muster a viewpoint, or haven't the wherewithal to construct the underpinnings for one?
"what you
think I think"
then why did I ask you what you think If I already knew? I asked a question to find out what you think.
I asked a simple question which you danced around and didn't answer, so I re-worded it and asked again.
It was a simple question, why are you getting so upset about it?.
Do you really hate being asked questions that much, or do you just hate answering?
Back to the importance of him being a spy and your thread starting post. It's a simple question. If Russia would be justified in targeting a spy then why would anyone start a thread about his death?
the question was would russia be
wrong, you said affimative which to my mind says that russia has no justification
so my next question would be, would the US be justified in targeting one of our spies should they "defect" to say Iran or North Korea and start bad mouthing us, or even if they just defect.
Personally I would prefer that the spy way captured, brought home and tried, as I would like all countries to do..........I don't think that happens.
Originally Posted by
j2k4
Oh, and as to your question - which I've quoted, accurately - I will answer in the affirmative...if it is determined somehow that he was targetted over his previous clandestine activities, rather than his dissident status, which you haven't seen fit to note.
see above
You noted that you don't
know that they did target him in connection with his past clandestine activities, will you say the same about his being targeted for his stance on putin?
Had he not been a spy then the dissident status would be all there was. On the other hand you seem to wish to ignore that he was a spy. This is odd because the thread title is "poisoned spy?". They will always be treated by a different standard, there is a reason for this and they know it.
Originally Posted by
j2k4
BTW-
After six years in Britain, I think he qualifies as "defected", rather than defecting.
The heat had long left the moment, I'd say.
My question was simple and general. It was about if a nation had justification to target spies that cross over. Timespan is of little importance. They may feel that the defector is a low risk to begin with but his/her behavior over time may change that assessment.
Now on the theory that putin's critics are being dropped I will say that it's entirely possibly and even probable that things like that happen. Of course Putin will deny it. The validity of the word of a leader is up to the people who own the ears that hear the words..........
We don't torture.
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