re: Ruby Ridge? Did the US Government Do the Right Thing?

From Wikipedia.

Special ROE and sniper/observer deployment[edit]
Special rules of engagement (ROE) were approved by the FBI,[who?] for use on Ruby Ridge. According to the later RRTF report to the DOJ (1994), the Ruby Ridge ROE were as follows:
"If any adult in the area around the cabin is observed with a weapon after the surrender announcement had been made, deadly force could and should be used to neutralize the individual."[51]
"If any adult male is observed with a weapon prior to the announcement deadly force can and should be employed if the shot could be taken without endangering any children."[51]
"If compromised by any dog[,] the dog can be taken out."[51]
"Any subjects other than Randy Weaver, Vicki Weaver, [and] Kevin Harris presenting threat of death or grievous bodily harm[,] FBI rules of deadly force apply. Deadly force can be utilized to prevent the death or grievous bodily injury to oneself or that of another." [From the sworn statement of FBI SAC Eugene Glenn].[51]
As noted in a footnote to the report in this crucial section,
The [ROE] was modified from "adult" to "adult male" [in ROE point 2] to exclude Vicki Weaver around 2:30 or 3:00 p.m. after consultation with [SAC Eugene] Glenn because Vicki Weaver was not seen at the site of Degan's slaying.[52]
The Ruby Ridge ROE had been drawn up on the basis of reports from the headquarters of the USMS and FBI, bolstered by unconfirmed news media accounts accepted by HQ that exaggerated the threat posed by the Weavers.[citation needed] These military-style rules varied from the FBI's standard deadly force policy. Standard deadly force policy of the FBI was: "Agents are not to use deadly force against any person except as necessary in self-defense or the defense of another, when they have reason to believe they or another are in danger of death or grievous bodily harm. Whenever feasible, verbal warning should be given before deadly force is applied."[53][better source needed] Under the Ruby Ridge ROE points 3 and 4, Vicki Weaver and third party women, the Weaver children, other third parties, and the Weaver dogs were subject to the standard deadly force policy and could only be fired upon in self-defense, that is, if they presented a danger of death or grievous bodily harm;[citation needed] however, under the Ruby Ridge ROE points 1 and 2, deadly force against the Weaver adults could and should be used without the justification of defense, and in the case of adult males, without any verbal warning.[citation needed]
The ROE were communicated to agents on site, including communication prior to deployment to HRT sniper/observers that had been brought to the site,[52] communications that included the change of "adult" to "adult male" to exclude Vicki Weaver.[52] Some deployed FBI agents, in particular the sniper/observers, would later describe the adopted ROE as a "green light" to "shoot on sight".[54]