To the Point

Yemen Strike: Ethics and Tactics, Ends and Means

News agencies are reporting today that the CIA used an unmanned Predator drone to fire the missile that killed a top al Qaeda operative in Yemen. Five others riding in the jeep were also killed in the desert attack, the first US strike against al Qaeda outside Afghanistan. Critics have called the historic extension of America-s war on terror dangerous policy and a possible violation of international law, comparing it to Israel-s -extrajudicial execution- strategy in the Palestinian territories. Is it justifiable self-defense or a violation of international law? We get an update from journalists in the region, and discuss the politics, ethics and legalities of the attack with former Defense Department experts as well as authorities on international law and human rights. Newsmaker: Sharon Dissolves Knesset, Calls for Early Election Israel-s Ariel Sharon has called for elections on January 28, in the midst of power struggles in both the Likud and the Labor Parties. Joel Greenberg, who reports from Jerusalem for the New York Times, says that internal party politics and a shaky economy left the Prime Minister no other alternative than to call the early elections, which will pit him against former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reporter-s Notebook: McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Law Takes Effect In preparation for the McCain-Feingold -soft money- ban, which takes effect tomorrow, both parties have raised more than three times as much as they did before the last midterm election, and are setting up new mechanisms well into the future, too. Steve Weiss, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political contributions, considers the challenge posed by campaign finance reform.