[fit2rule]

The question is, putting people to death for crimes against the state, i.e. death penalties, etc.

A lot of "states" murder "spies". [ * ]

The proposition was that only a select few states murder journalists for such crimes. Journalism is the opposite of spy craft, so combining them for political purposes is deadly, indeed.

It should be stated up front that I, personally, don't think the state should have the right to murder anyone, and I also mean by means of war, asymmetric or otherwise.

( * -The moment someone murders in the name of the state, the state is over and its time for a new one.)