Nobel Peace Prize Warrior

Back in the Reagan era the slogan was “Peace through Strength.” In the military ranks this was modified, with typical military humor as decidedly unofficial, politically incorrect, slogans such as “Peace through Fire-Superiority” or “Peace through Marksmanship” or “Peace through Close Combat,” and the like.

Hold that thought.

Last month the New York Times reported “U.S. Kills Top Qaeda Leader in Southern Somalia .” The target was Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, who was killed by American commandos in a daring daylight raid in southern Somalia. Here’s how the Times summarized the operation.

On Monday, around 1 p.m., villagers near the town of Baraawe said four military helicopters suddenly materialized over the horizon and shot at two trucks rumbling through the desert . . . .

The helicopters, with commandos firing .50-caliber machine guns and other automatic weapons, quickly disabled the trucks, according to villagers in the area, and several of the Shabab fighters tried to fire back. Shabab leaders said that six foreign fighters, including Mr. Nabhan, were quickly killed, along with three Somali Shabab. The helicopters landed, and the commandos inspected the wreckage and carried away the bodies of Mr. Nabhan and the other fighters for identification, a senior American military official said.

You won’t find it in the Times story, but Fox News made it a point to report that ten days prior to the raid President Obama signed the Execute Order that gave the go-ahead to assassinate Nabhan. President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a month later.

So, who says President Obama hasn’t done anything to earn the award?

“Peace through Targeted-Assassinations” anyone?