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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SARMAN who wrote (273418)	1/25/2010 10:28:39 AM
From: Sdgla	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Goldstone has been refuted. You are delusional to believe that there is no consequence for attacking a sovereign nation. Hamas Hides Behind Women and Children I've been quite disturbed recently by constant media references to "proportionality" in the response of Israel toward Hamas. Even the UN Secretary General and His Holiness stated that Israel's response was "disproportionate." I respectfully disagree and wish to call light to their ignorance, however well-intentioned. The Geneva Convention, Protocol I, defines the concept of "proportionality": The incidental (i.e.- unintended) harm caused to civilians or civilian property must be proportional and not excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated by an attack on a military objective. By no means does this mean that there should be any parity between the number of casualties on both sides of the conflict. Nor does it mean that Israel must not respond with all its power and might. What this principle means, quite simply, is that a military force must not cause civilian deaths disproportionate to the objective they seek in their military operation. Allied forces during World War II were entirely justified in bombing entire cities, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, because destroying those cities satisfied an important strategic military objective. The counter-attacks by Israel have, regrettably, caused the loss of innocent human lives. I do not blame them. I blame Hamas for instigating this war and placing their Katyusha rocket launchers and headquarters amongst those civilians. The blood remains on their hands. The calls for a "cease fire" coming from Europe and the UN also disturbs me. Hamas broke the last cease fire, but they certainly didn't begin preparations for that offensive that morning. They had been digging tunnels under the Egyptian border and importing weapons from Iran for months. To Hamas, "cease fire" is not merely a request for respite in a fair fight - it is seizing an opportunity to re-arm and re-constitute. It's hard for me to absolve the "innocent civilians" of Gaza of blame. They, after all, elected Hamas to power and provide material support and comfort. Their children are indoctrinated into hatred and violence. I, for one, would like to see every member of Hamas rounded up and hanged for war crimes. The people of Gaza should be completely disarmed and guarded by UN forces committed to ensuring their compliance. Maybe then, the people of Gaza can abandon hatred and turn their prime real estate into a wealthy vacation resort that people of all races and religions can enjoy. sweatingpony.blogspot.com POSTED BY SWEATING PONY AT 4:38 PM