Doesn't matter.In warfare today,civllians will always be killed.
How could it not? I can hardly imagine a war that wouldn't kill any civilians. However, there is still always a question of degree, or in this case, of numbers. It's kind of silly (and morbid) to place an over/under for acceptable civilian casualty, but there is always a number at which it is clearly too much. Maybe that's a more probing question. 100 is almost certainly OK, 1000 probably, 10,000 possibly, 100,000 probably not, 1,000,000 hard to imagine.
I submit this is not a silly question, certainly not for radiofree based on his questions, and perhaps others based on their continued posting of purported or actual civilian deaths - for them it appears it is not a silly question. Given that it is a FACT of war, one then has to ask this question to understand what people are expecting of the coalition.
d2: I'd like to keep that question for another topic - thanks, it's a good one.
d2: I'd like to keep that question for another topic - thanks, it's a good one.
I am not so deluded as to think that perfect war exists, a conflict in which only the combatants are injured and/or killed for an extremely just cause. After all, warfare hasn't always been this way...
This is not to say that it doesn't matter, but it should be demanded that our leaders and decision-makers are informed enough to not mislead and not be misled. What we must ask ourselves before jumping to war is, Does this make the world a better place, safe from tyranny? Are these lives that stand innocently at the sidelines worth a small sacrifice for something greater?
[This message was edited by radiofreecostarica on 03-29-03 at 07:02 PM.]
This is not to say that it doesn't matter, but it should be demanded that our leaders and decision-makers are informed enough to not mislead and not be misled. What we must ask ourselves before jumping to war is, Does this make the world a better place, safe from tyranny? Are these lives that stand innocently at the sidelines worth a small sacrifice for something greater?
[This message was edited by radiofreecostarica on 03-29-03 at 07:02 PM.]
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I am not so deluded as to think that there is no such thing as perfect war <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
So, you do think there is such a thing as a perfect war. I think i read that right.
So, you do think there is such a thing as a perfect war. I think i read that right.
lol
Bored, sorry, my bad..
Bored, sorry, my bad..
That's the real tragedy of war.. S hit happens.
If civilians are working in a defense factory for example, and are killed when that factory is bombed, that's certainly understandable.
It would be best of course if the factory were bombed while there were a minimimum number of workers there - say a Sunday evening.
If civilians are working in a defense factory for example, and are killed when that factory is bombed, that's certainly understandable.
It would be best of course if the factory were bombed while there were a minimimum number of workers there - say a Sunday evening.
I would say that there are cases when it is unavoidable. I don't know that I would ever want to say that any civilian casualty is justified, that's a little too tyrannical for me.
Hitler justified killing Jewish civilians trying to achieve his dream of an Arian race. Pinochet justified throwing Chileans into the ocean to protect his regime. Che Guevara justified killing Cubans to put Castro into power. Bush justifies killing Iraqis to take over oil reserves.
Hitler justified killing Jewish civilians trying to achieve his dream of an Arian race. Pinochet justified throwing Chileans into the ocean to protect his regime. Che Guevara justified killing Cubans to put Castro into power. Bush justifies killing Iraqis to take over oil reserves.
the reason for all the "yes" votes?
The phrasing of your question. Does "any" war justify innocent civilians...
I answered "yes". There are wars that do. This is not one of those. This is a conflict. An attack. Iraq is no Nazi Germany. This is not a fair match. This is settlers on trains taking pot shots at buffalo on the passing prairies...it is THAT unfair, lopsided, and criminal.
The phrasing of your question. Does "any" war justify innocent civilians...
I answered "yes". There are wars that do. This is not one of those. This is a conflict. An attack. Iraq is no Nazi Germany. This is not a fair match. This is settlers on trains taking pot shots at buffalo on the passing prairies...it is THAT unfair, lopsided, and criminal.
I don't know but it looked like a mod bumped it...and then rolltide posted to the last reply.
It's like giving the nuclear codes to Barman. @)
lol, guys, I most certainly am not bored enough to look something like this up. It was at the top of the page yesterday and I never even realized the dates this was from, and I responded. No idea how it got up here but I'm sure it has something to do with a mod
