Quote:
Originally Posted by foreverwar
So do you believe that we should not bomb buildings from which Iraqi insurgents are mounting attacks and killing Iraqis and Coalition personnel?
I think the big difference we have is that you seem to equate "state execution" as the same as "acts of war", which if you were, in fact, in the regular armed forces for any length of time, is an extremely unusual viewpoint, and a strange moral equivalence.
I did not say you "had to" disclose where you served, I only asked out of curiosity, as most people are proud of their service career, and are willing to discuss it; and yes, I (imho) do believe it influences an answer, as personal experience can vary one's viewpoint. It's my belief if you had seen action, you would have realised that everything isn't nice and neat and tidy when things are whizzing past your head (and I don't mean paintballs or airsoft). I wonder what your last three were?
And the fact you equate the IRA bombing of civilians with Coalition bombing in Iraq means we will never see eye-to-eye on this subject - I believe that the IRA intended to kill civilians as part of a terrorist campaign, whilst the Iraqi casualties are killed by accident during an attack on insurgents (doesn't make it any better for them, but surely motivation has to be involved somewhere for guilt to be attributed). You keep using the emotive phrase "indiscriminate bombing" when there is no evidence to back up that phrase.
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Civilians killed by accident?
I take it that the government know the area before an attack is launched?
They would know it is populated by a high percentage of innocent civilians, just as, as bill pointed out about warrington, the ira knew the area.
" Indiscriminate bombing " you call this an emotive phrase, when I look up the meaning of the word " Indiscriminate " here is what I get:
" not showing careful thought or planning, especially so that harm results "
To twist my opinion to be some " anti troop " comment is out of order.
My whole point is against this government, they cannot say they do not condone execution on humanitarian grounds, yet allow bombings of areas highly populated by innocent civilains, what are they trying to say? are they saying that it is not right in a humanitarian " improving people's lives and reducing suffering " way to not agree to execution? but it is ok to do the other? and this is why I am saying it is hypocritic.
I dont need a lecture from you or anyone about conflict, I am so sorry that my opinions do not " tally " with the stereotypical profile held in peoples heads.
Tell me how you differentiate between what the IRA were doing, the suffering they were causing, and what this government is now doing, tell me how we can take the moral higher ground?
Having served in the forces the troops have my utmost respect, sadly that does not carry forward to our leaders.
I would love to be proved wrong if the place is at peace next year, I mean, sadam has now been removed from power, which was the mandate for our troops going over there, so they should all be home soon thankfully.