Who or what is Terrorism??

[mercuryroad 0]

In the UK we lived under the shadow of terrorism for 30+ years. Yet whenever the paramilitaries blew up a pub or set explosives in public trash bins, you never saw the British army moving in demolishing homes, and depriving entire towns of essential utilities.

Goes back to (what I suspect) is at the core of this. That the rights of certain groups of people are relegated to the status of lesser human beings simply by virtue of their religion and where they live.

"That the rights of certain groups of people are relegated to the status of lesser human beings simply by virtue of their religion and where they live."

If that's true, then both sides are guilty. In fact, it is part of the rhetoric of extremists (I won't even call them muslim). How many times have you heard kill the infidels? How many times have you heard plans to kill any and all Americans? The only possible way you could have that attitude is if you do not see those people as human beings, and hate them based on their religion (or lack of practicing yours) and geographic location (in this case Israel or the U.S.).

The truth is that I don't buy your conclusion that Israel acts based on relgious superiority and geography. They want the right to exist and other people in that area have a problem with that, ironically, based on geography and religion as you accused above.

What would be a proper response, in your opinion, from Israel? One that would not be seen as discriminatory against religion or geography?

Both sides are guilty, as you say. The big issue I have with Israel here is that their response (terror with terror), amounts to an official government policy. The actions of disparate Palestinian militant groups and individuals are not necessarily representative the government and people of Palestine. Though the more resentment that is created, the more that will change.

Its in Israel's interest to see the establishment of a strong, autonomous Palestinian government, and its related institutions (i.e. law enforcement). Sadly each time they move tanks into civilian areas it only increases the resentment, resulting most recently in the increased political prescence of Hamas. How else will the problem be resolved (long term) if not diplomatically? Though at the moment both sides are moving so far from the table the only likely outcome is mutual jihad.

I asked you however how this particular instance should be handled, since you are calling their response terrorism.

Keep in mind.....these militants moved into Israel from Lebanon and abducted Israeli soldiers in Israel. This is an invasion. Clearly, Lebanon or anyone else for that matter can justify such an action - which means it is wrong. So....you are Lebanon.....you have a militant group acting within your borders and you choose not to do anything about it. These guys commit crimes in Israel and retreat back to Lebanon. As Lebanon....what would you anticipate Israel's response to be?

Don't you think Israel would jump for joy if Lebanon took aggresively took care of this themselves? How do you justify their government policy in this case?

Israel doesn't want to be there....but they have no choice in my eyes. Innocent people will die in Lebanon because Lebanon finds it more acceptable for their own innocent people to die rather than to have Hezbollah disappear.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Man has not learned and will not learn to stop killing. Just look at World history. We alway have a reason to kill.

Peter Miami

or invent one. we are a destructive and creative species. a double edged sword.

We're no ordinary species. We have the capacity to reason and contemplate beyond acting on impulse or instinct. Those should never be reasons or excuses for committing violence against other human beings.

[ace13 0]

The world is a scary place with hate filled, evil people Fortunatly, Good will overcome. It always has and always will

[mercuryroad 0]

Man has not learned and will not learn to stop killing. Just look at World history. We alway have a reason to kill.

Peter Miami

or invent one. we are a destructive and creative species. a double edged sword.

We're no ordinary species. We have the capacity to reason and contemplate beyond acting on impulse or instinct. Those should never be reasons or excuses for committing violence against other human beings.

The question is, however, how do you deal with the people that are not reasonable and act on impulse and instinct and do not value life. How do you respond when violense is brought to your door.

Negotiate? Sympathize?

[mawilson 2,133]

And the end result is you've just recruited hundreds more terrorists and won over more sympathizers to their cause. Israel's tactics have done NOTHING but perpetuate the violence. These terrorists are ruthless killers, but there are other ways to more effectively combat them without more innocent bloodshed.

I disagree. Collective punishment works. Every Palestinian terrorist knows that if he blows

himself up in Tel-Aviv, his elderly mother's house will be bulldozed to rubble the very next day.

Clearly many of them don't give a damn, but it's still a powerful deterrent.

Still not morally justifiable. Essentially the same as holding a gun to every childs head, or threatening to nerve gas a village.

No. Not every child. His child / brother / mother. The army bulldozes

the houses of the terrorist's relatives, not just some random houses.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

We're no ordinary species. We have the capacity to reason and contemplate beyond acting on impulse or instinct. Those should never be reasons or excuses for committing violence against other human beings.

The question is, however, how do you deal with the people that are not reasonable and act on impulse and instinct and do not value life. How do you respond when violense is brought to your door.

Negotiate? Sympathize?

I'll answer your rhetorical question with another one. When you have a child who keeps misbehaving, do you just keep spanking them until they 'get it'? There's no simple solution, but for any of you who claim to follow the tenants of Christianity, retaliation is fundamentally contrary to Christ's teachings, no matter how you slice it.

Edited July 13, 2006 by Steven_and_Jinky

[mercuryroad 0]

We're no ordinary species. We have the capacity to reason and contemplate beyond acting on impulse or instinct. Those should never be reasons or excuses for committing violence against other human beings.

The question is, however, how do you deal with the people that are not reasonable and act on impulse and instinct and do not value life. How do you respond when violense is brought to your door.

Negotiate? Sympathize?

I'll answer your rhetorical question with another one. When you have a child who keeps misbehaving, do you just keep spanking them until they 'get it'? There's no simple solution, but for any of you who claim to follow the tenants of Christianity, retaliation is fundamentally contrary to Christ's teachings, no matter how you slice it.

Then I'll give you another rhetorical one:

What do you do with a kid that is not misbehaving? Ignore it and pretend it is not happening?

H*ll....Hezbollah isn't even getting a time-out! There's no parenting going on there!

[mawilson 2,133]

In the UK we lived under the shadow of terrorism for 30+ years. Yet whenever the paramilitaries blew up a pub or set explosives in public trash bins, you never saw the British army moving in demolishing homes, and depriving entire towns of essential utilities.

Well the people from Northern Ireland are British citizens, aren't they? You don't

see the Israeli army moving in and demolishing the homes of Israeli Arab citizens

either.

Now if the UK was constantly attacked by say French terrorists blowing people up

on buses in Central London, how long do you think it would be before the army

moved in and bombed the hell out of them?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

We're no ordinary species. We have the capacity to reason and contemplate beyond acting on impulse or instinct. Those should never be reasons or excuses for committing violence against other human beings.

The question is, however, how do you deal with the people that are not reasonable and act on impulse and instinct and do not value life. How do you respond when violense is brought to your door.

Negotiate? Sympathize?

I'll answer your rhetorical question with another one. When you have a child who keeps misbehaving, do you just keep spanking them until they 'get it'? There's no simple solution, but for any of you who claim to follow the tenants of Christianity, retaliation is fundamentally contrary to Christ's teachings, no matter how you slice it.

Then I'll give you another rhetorical one:

What do you do with a kid that is not misbehaving? Ignore it and pretend it is not happening?

H*ll....Hezbollah isn't even getting a time-out! There's no parenting going on there!

You're right, you can't ignore a misbehaving child and in reality we're not talking about children but adults.

We should stop all foreign aid to both Israel and the Palenstinians except for humantarian aid.

Here's what a friend of mine commented on in another blog: (grammatical errors)

isreal seems intent on destroying the fledging democracy in Lebanon, which i dont like. But they are convinced that terrorists faction is being 'hidden' by government. I had gotten a good feeling that hezzbolah(sp?) is in bed with recently ousted syriuans...so both things cannot be actually true.

Even stranger is the ties to Iran...a ideolgical enemy of the baathist party in syria.

So whats at the bottom of Isrealli Intelligence's findings that has both these conflicting facts setting them on Warfooting? And what is the deal that killing of civilians?

I am getting to the point of open campaigning to end foreign aid to the region on the whole...isreal and the muslim nations alike. Then we start the diplomatic ties yet again with no prior ties for sides to accuse americans of 'favoritism'.

Seriously...this part of the middle-east the bush admin has wanted to ignore(because of limited resources, im sure)...and now the entire region may slowly be drawn into full scale war with isreal...

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

You're right, you can't ignore a misbehaving child and in reality we're not talking about children but adults.

We should stop all foreign aid to both Israel and the Palenstinians except for humantarian aid.

so in effect, punish israel for having neighbors that kidnap their countrymen. so much for the war on terror

perhaps some have forgotten that the last time we left the jews to fend for themselves, over 6 million were killed.....

Edited July 13, 2006 by charlesandnessa

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Just too much Hatred!!

Violence only bring more violence, The point i was trying to make there's always 2 side of the coins. If someone comes over bulldozed my house, kill my parents, my siblings, in retaliation to what some neighbors, or someone from the same village did. How would I feel about getting justice, when the other party is JUDGE< JURY< AND EXECUTIONER.

[Veiled Princess 1]

Hey! I bet if Israel stopped trying to force the Palestinians out of Palestine, the Palestinians might stop the things they're doing... see how comprimise works??? Just a thought....

[desert_fox 32]

Terrorist come in from a foreign country. Terrorists (not uniformed soldiers) kidnap. Home country does nothing about it. You go after them and kill ppl and break things until they decide not to do it again. Hard to understand???

you mess with Isreal, they will take action as any country should if they are being invaded by terrorists.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

Hey! I bet if Israel stopped trying to force the Palestinians out of Palestine, the Palestinians might stop the things they're doing... see how comprimise works??? Just a thought....

[Nikita2Charles 32]

The God is on my side dillema is what's preventing people from reaching Peace, because people are so convinced to their cause that they are blinded, whether you would think of them as good or evil.