Licence to kill

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A license to kill is the concept of a form of official licence that gives permission to kill in dire situations, normally used by FBI or agents. More recently, granted to the CIA [1] (http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,578501,00.html) [2] (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/31396861.cms), armed forces of Israel and the United States in cases of suspected terrorist targets.

The concept is also used by fictional characters such as James Bond. In the novels, however, the concept is much less well defined than it is in the movies. The phrase is first used in the first book, Casino Royale. Bond explains that;
"For those two jobs (assassinations) I was awarded a Double O number in the Service. Felt pretty clever and got a reputation for being good and tough. A Double O number in our Service means you've had to kill a chap in cold blood in the course of some job."

The idea that the Double O was given after the fact is repeated in "Live and Let Die", this time by Bond's enemy, who says;
"The significance of that Double O number, they tell me, is that you have had to kill a man in the course of some assignment."

By the third book, "Moonraker", however, the role had changed;
"The 00 Section of the Secret Service was concerned...only with background information which might be useful or instructive to the only three men in the Service whose duties included assassination who might be ordered to kill."

The phrase "License to Kill" makes its first appearance in the fourth book, "Diamonds are Forever", when Felix Leiter asks;
"You still got that double-0 number that licenses you to kill? - Yes", said Bond drily, "I have".

For the parallel concept in a military situation, see rules of engagement.

Licence to kill

See also