Pentagon: It's OK to kill kids; I bet Obama agrees; #Obamiacs?

Per The Nation, high-level military brass are saying that targeting children as necessary, as part of the war in Afghanistan, is OK.

“It kind of opens our aperture,” said Army Lt. Col. Marion “Ced” Carrington, whose unit, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was assisting the Afghan police. “In addition to looking for military-age males, it’s looking for children with potential hostile intent.”

Who defines what constitutes "potential hostile intent"? I mean, between the word "potential" rather than "actual" and "intent" rather than "action," that's a whole big enough to fly a couple of child-killing Predator drones through.

Beyond that, it certainly seems like Light Col. Carrington is looking for excuses to be more bloodthirsty.

So, will Dear Leader denounce this? Five bucks, or 500 Afghan kids' lives, says no. Why? Beyond the fact that he's redefined "legitimate casualties" from drone strikes, Carrington's casuistry is of the same general level that has led him not only to arguments like that on expanding the drone war, but also expanding warrantless snooping on Americans and more. (Counterpunch has a lot more on all the Afghan kids being killed by drones.)

There is, arguably, a little nuance to the story, more than The Nation allows, although not a lot. At the same time, this is another good reason for us to get the hell out of Afghanistan ASAP. (Which Dear Leader also seems to be foot-dragging on.) Accepting as factual that the Taliban use at least some kids, or people who would be considered kids in any modern, developed nation, for various insurgency missions, this is simply a no-win issue for the US. And, it again puts paid to neoconservative ideas of nation-building. If a substantial minority, not even a majority, not only doesn't want to be "rebuilt," but is vehemently and lethally opposed, there's just not a lot we can do.

So, Dear Leader? You got Obama's head stuffed and mounted on your mantle, at least metaphorically. Why are you sticking around? Is it to divert either America as a whole, or yourself, from domestic issues? Do you still believe some of your "messianic" self-talk? Are you that bloodthirsty? Some combination? Items I haven't mentioned?

And, per the last word in my header, you Obamiacs — how much are you going to try to even halfway defend this? (Appeals to "Well, Romney might have done worse" don't count.)