Friday, April 19, 2013

Boston Manhunt

They're still looking for the remaining sonofabitch who bombed the Boston Marathon.  Seven IED's recovered and the manhunt has practically shut down Boston.  Some estimate that the shutdown will cost between $250-300 million per day.  Allahpundit has continuing coverage of the events at HotAir.

The capture of this guy is hugely iimportant.  I get that.  What I don't get is shutting down an entire city to get him.  This is exactly what the terrorists want, to shut down American cities.  By stopping bus lines, shutting down commuter lines,and telling people to stay home, indoors, is just exactly what the terrorists want.  Boston has played into the terrorists hands.  Eugene Kontorovich talks about the civil liberty aspects at Volokh.com.  For those of you unfamiliar with the site, it's a group blog of  a group of very high-level attorneys.  I admit that Volokh and company lose me in their esoteric analysis sometimes, but I find the blog very interesting, and I find Mr. Kontorovich's analysis compelling. (Basically, because he agrees with me.)

Still, I've been a cop for a long time.  I shut down a military installation, once, over a threat, but I've never shut down a whole city.  When we shut down Fort Polk, during Desert Storm, the hue and cry was phenomenal.  I can't imagine the hue and cry over shutting down Boston.  Am I concerned about the civil rights of the sonofabitch with a bomb?  Only as much as is necessary to prosecute or kill him.  I'll do what's proper and no more.  I am concerned about the civil rights of large American cities, and the example we're setting when some other sonofabitch decides to bomb something.

No comments: