Bin laden Quote by Michael Scheuer
“Bin Laden does reprehensible activities, and we should surely take care of that by killing him as soon as we can. But he's not an irrational man. He's a very worthy enemy. He's an enemy to worry about.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: PBS Frontline, "The Terrorist Next Door", 2005
The speaker argues that a dangerous, rational adversary must be eliminated promptly, despite his rationality.
In simple terms: A dangerous rational enemy should be killed quickly.
Key Takeaway
Act decisively against rational threats.
Themes
security
ethics
conflict
decisionmaking
Mood
tense
urgent
critical
Type
political
ethical
strategic
When to use this quote
- military planning
- policy debate
- law enforcement
- public discourse
Key Concepts
rationality
enemy assessment
counterterrorism
Questions to Reflect On
- Is killing justified when the target is rational?
- What alternatives exist to lethal force?
A Different Perspective
Eliminating a rational enemy may raise moral and legal concerns.
![“I don't know where [Osama bin Laden] is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him, to be honest with you. I'm more worried about making sure that our soldiers are well supplied, that the strategy is clear, that the coalition is strong.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4da/george-w-bush-64_being-honest_i-don-t-know-where-osama-bin-laden-is-yo_2339984.jpg)
![“[to Navy SEALs] Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and velcro and all your gear bullshit. I wanted to drop a bomb. But people didn't believe in this lead enough to drop a bomb. So they're using you guys as canaries. And, in theory, if bin Laden isn't there, you can…” quote by Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/12a/mark-owen-41650_bin-laden_to-navy-seals-quite-frankly-i-didn-t-eve_19993.jpg)
