Originally posted by Mignon: I've often wondered what would Michael done with Fredo if Mama lived for say another 10-20 more years?
Exactly! This is another observation I like to point out when people say that Michael was justified for killing Fredo.
Michael would have ensured that Al Neri kept an eye on Fredo from the moment he disowned him to the moment of Mama's death, however long that period might be -- even if Mama lived to be 97. This careful watching/spying was to ensure that Fredo didn't intentionally or unintentionally fall in with the enemy and put Michael in danger again.
So if Michael is content to do this for as many years as it takes until Mama dies, why not just continue to do it for the rest of Fredo's natural life?
It wasn't necessary for Michael to kill Fredo. There were other ways to ensure that he wouldn't be a threat, as the above shows.
