Author: David Barkin (dynip-216-139-133-169.nyct.net)
Date: 09-17-2001 23:29
Dear Saif
One persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter. We see that time and time again. WhaT frightens me is the thought that this atrocity will become an excuse to kill everyone we don't like.
I think there can and should be some ground rules here. I think we should simply draw the line that all people have the right of self defense - that legitimate targets are military target.
Such expressions like "collateral damage" disgust me. I want the guilty and all who harbor the guilty are the ones to go after. If one innocent person dies that's both inevitable and horrible. Using the expression collateral damage just makes it worse.
The Afghan people are not the enemy, the Arabs, the Persians are not the enemy. Insane mad dogs are the enemy and we have to retaliate in such a way that the innocents can get out of the way.
In a complex world no one has a right to tell someone else not to defend themselves. There are wars going on now that probably none of us even know about. I can't tell these people what to do - I can only suggest drawing some lines.
