Page 375 - Essencials of Sociology

348 Chapter 11 politics and the economy

Thinking CriTiCally
Targeted Killings

“I wonder if I should kill her?” the president of the United States asks himself as he sits
in the Oval Office. “Let’s see the record,” he says to his advisor whose job it is to add
names to the president’s “kill list.”
“She’s only 17,” says the president.
“She’s young, but a killer—and a threat to the security of our troops,” replies the advisor.
“Yes, she’s a valid target. Keep her on the list. But remember—no collateral damage.
If she’s with her family, no strike. That goes for all.”
For the record, not to be revealed to the public, the president initials the list and the date.
The advisor leaves the office, the “kill list” carefully tucked in his briefing book.
“Did he approve the list?”
The advisor nods.
“Did he keep her on it?”
“Who?”
“You know who I mean. Don’t play games.”
“Yes. She’s still on it.”
“I wonder why he wants to approve each kill himself?”
“He said something about ‘The buck stops here,’” said the advisor.
A BQM-74E drone as it leaves the flight “Right. Truman’s statement will live forever.”
deck of a missile frigate. The order was given. The drones flew to their target. And to the next one. And to the
next. Each killing personally approved by the president of the United States.
The advisor watched the monitor, much like a video game. The explosions were silent.
He nodded, grim-faced, then went to his office to prepare the next kill list. This one
had an American on it. The president approved this list, too.
Based on Savage 2011; Becker and Shane 2012; Savage 2012.
For Your Consideration
This is not a transcript of a recording, so the conversation in the Oval Office will differ from
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this vignette. But it is based on actual events. The president of the United States person-
ally authorizes the names of the people he wants killed in other countries. Some are
American citizens. No trial. No lawyers. Just some men, and an occasional woman, I
presume, poring over reports and deciding what names to suggest to the president. The
president reviews the report and approves or disapproves each name. Never in the history
of the United States have we had something like this. The president is both judge and jury.
The rationale? It’s necessary to cripple al-Qaeda and protect the United States.
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What do you think?

the economy: Work in the Global Village

If you are like most students, you are wondering how changes in the economy are going
to affect your chances of getting a good job. Let’s see if we can shed some light on this
question. We’ll begin with this story:
The sound of her alarm rang in Kim’s ears. “Not Monday already,” she groaned. “There
must be a better way of starting the week.” She pressed the snooze button on the clock (from
Germany) to sneak another ten minutes’ sleep. In what seemed like just thirty seconds, the
alarm shrilly insisted that she get up and face the week.
Still bleary-eyed after her shower, Kim peered into her closet and picked out a silk blouse
(from China), a plaid wool skirt (from Scotland), and leather shoes (from Italy). She
nodded, satisfied, as she added a pair of simulated pearls (from Taiwan). Running late,
she hurriedly ran a brush (from Mexico) through her hair. As Kim wolfed down a bowl of