Let’s roll the clock back 30 years.

A fairly major Western power is being hit by a series of what they describe as terrorist outrages; civilians being killed, armed services being targeted by ever more complex weaponry.

An intelligence led operation identifies some key figures who provide funding, materiel and planning resource.

These people are living in a nominally allied country, and for whatever& reason the host country is not going to detain, arrest and extradite these “murderous savages”.

An armed operation using special forces is launched to “capture if possible, kill if resistance is shown” these individuals. It’s known that the hostcountry is either sympathetic to these individuals, or they may be tipped off. The host country is not to be told. The operation is launched; the target killed, along with some of their associates, and the wife of one of the associates.

The building is rifled, the body of the target taken and buried at sea to minimise the risks of martyr shrines and so on.

“Today, the British Prime Minister announced that in a daring raid elements of the Special Air Service and Special Boat Service had entered the residence of X, the chief organiser for Noraid, a major target. His Boston home was entered in the hours of darkness and due to his resistance he was shot with silenced weapons, along with some of his associates. A woman in the property was also killed.

Significant items of intelligence were gained, and Her Majesty’s government have the following message to the IRA and their supporters. ‘You have nowhere to hide; we will find you and bring you to justice.’

We recognise that the USA has provided some invaluable assistance in pursuing IRA terrorists, but we find it troubling that the presence of these terrorists must have been known to the USA, and they did not render them toBritish justice.”



I wonder how the US government would have felt.