[thechat] War Essentials

[Sean]

Erik:
]I hesitate to respond, but I think you're buying into something that
]will someday be known as one of Mankind's biggest follies: saying your
]superior firepower makes your fight just and fair ... and when the
]militarily inferiority of your opponent forces them to use the only
]tactics they have, they're known as "evil terrorists".  Both sides are
]wrong, as they're using their hands instead of their heads to try to
]solve a territorial dispute. Er, I correct myself, it's stupider than a
]territorial dispute: it's a family feud.  Jews, Christians and Muslims
]all claim to be descendants of Abraham. Evidently Abraham didn't come
]up with a very good will, so this is yet another thing we can blame on
]lawyers.

I agree if--if Jews were better Christians, and Muslims were better Jews,
Christians better Muslims, etc. the world would be a better place.

I have heard that argument from many Palestinians in the media, that the
Israelis use the means at their disposal and the Palestinians the means at
their disposal.  (Yes, this is the American media that is supposedly so
one-sided.  I actually hear quite enough of the Palestinian point of view.)
But I've never heard a Palestinians representative challenged on this issue.
I never hear the obvious (to me) follow up question.

I don't suppose we have any official representatives on thechat, but maybe
someone with a different view on this issue can enlighten me.  Does the
stark disparity in resources and firepower, which leaves the Palestinians at
a severe disadvantage against the Israeli military, justify their choice of
targets?

Are the only tactics open to Palestinians include bombing a child's party?
Or families sitting down to a holiday meal?  Or an attack on a market timed
for lunch time when the most civilians would be there?  Does it matter
whether they use homemade bombs, tanks or MX missiles?  Are you saying the
use of those targets is justified?

Again, I know Israelis have tanks and Palestinians homemade bombs.  My
question goes to how those bombs are used.  Do you think the Palestinians'
situation justifies attacks on innocent civilians?

God is great.  =)



Sean G.