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Re: [atlarge-discuss] the root and the terror



At 16:02 +0100 2003/01/28, Holger Steiner wrote:
>I do think there is a difference between soldiers and terrorists.
>
>Military targets and civilian targets are not the same, IMHO.
>The Geneva Convention (and the like) is NOT useless.

I'm a firm believer in the Geneva Convention and I didn't suggest
otherwise, Holger.

However, a quick glance at your daily newspaper will show that:

- in many countries, soldiers are routinely employed to terrorize
the domestic population or a particular ethnic group within it

- in many countries, soldiers are ordered to attack civilian
targets as well as military ones

- despite the Geneva Convention and the Nuremberg trials, the
tactics used by soldiers often includes rape, torture, the
destruction of civilian housing and hospitals, etc. ... and
not all of it is done purely on the initiative of the individual
soldier.

I won't even get into the fact that the nation which currently
has the greatest military and economic power had categorically
stated it doesn't give a damn about the Geneva Convention and
stands ready to attack any nation at any time if it has
reason to believe there are terrorists within its borders, even
if there is no connection between those terrorists and the
rest of the population or the government. That sounds a lot
like state-sponsored terrorism to me, as does shooting people
on suspicion alone or bullozing the homes of relations of
combattants or making "pre-emptive strikes" against nations
that aren't attacking anyone.

Let us agree that the world we live in is a less-civilized
place than we would like it to be, and that we have a long
way to go before civilized rules about the conduct of war
are observed by all nations. I only hope we live long enough
to see that change.

Sincerely,

Judyth

##########################################################
Judyth Mermelstein     "cogito ergo lego ergo cogito..."
Montreal, QC           <espresso@e-scape.net>
##########################################################
"A word to the wise is sufficient. For others, use more."
"Un mot suffit aux sages; pour les autres, il en faut plus."
##########################################################



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