what it comes down to with these dead children

The thing is, either the Israelis are generally moral, or they aren't. So which is it, Desire?


Can the Palestinians count on the Israelis trying to be moral? Yes, they can count on asymmetry.


Can the Palestinians count on Israel trying not to bomb children, which will be on US TV?


Yes, the Palestinians can. So what is the big surprise and outrage here? What is the shock?


No new information arrived the day those kids got bombed. The previous day, it was possible.


And so what has me so perplexed, is why I am accused of advocating the massacre of babies?


By this logic, the day before they were massacred, Desire was an advocate of their massacre!


You knew, the previous day, that kids could get killed the next day, and yet you didn't whine.


The Israeli's didn't do anything we didn't predict, or expect, or even hope them to do!


So are the Israeli's baby killers, or aren't they? Seems to me, you just dislike war.


eLROY

Surely this feeble portrayal of convoluted assinineism (yes, i made a new word)does not ring true to you, Elroy.


Break it down. I am not going to keep repeating myself.


I have always been horrified at the whole idea of homicide bombers. I don't believe you can negotiate with terrorists. And I have always admired Israel for not being terrorized into doing just that.


I understand that facts surrounding this rocket launching were especially desperate. Israeli Intelligence had information that this particular leader they assisinated was planning many homicide attacks in the next few days. This terrorist was the brain behind this one of the most brutal homicide brigades. I know he had to be taken out in order to save many lives of innocent people. But none of these facts mitigates the deliberate murder of children asleep in their beds. One cannot say, "These palestinian children must die in order so these jewish children be spared." I firmly believe in Israel's right to defend themselves. And I am encouraged at the huge swell of outrage inside Israel at the horrifying decision made to take this man out at the cost of also taking out and wounding scores of innocents.


Cooler heads will eventually prevail. I believe Sharon has always approached Israel's dilemmas from a military standpoint. Netanyahu is cut from the same cloth. Both hawks with no clue of how to negotiate for a lasting peace in the Middle East. Peace will come, eventually. But at the cost of how many more innocent lives?

For me, some things are absolutes. You don't look for ways to rationalize them, you just avoid doing them altogether in order to avoid becoming one who does not have the inner compass that tells them some acts are deplorable under all circumstances and must be avoided. Dropping one ton bombs on homes in crowded neighborhoods where babies are sleeping falls in the category of the things I refer to. They crossed a line that (for me) they cannot talk their way out of. It was an evil, immoral act that cannot be explained away. They should have avoided doing it, regardless of cost. They are a wealthy, powerful military state with excellent intelligence--they could have if they desired to, that much I believe.


KJS