Terrorist Calculus
I’ve made a conscious decision not to blog much about what’s going on in the middle east right now. However, I am deeply concerned. I’m not going to say much about my feelings on the subject, but I did find the following to be extremely poignant…
- If I kill you, I win.
- If you kill me, I am a martyr. I win big.
- There are no innocents in the land of my enemy. If I kill infants, the elderly, pregnant women, even on purpose, I win.
- When my enemy kills innocent civilians in error, even his own allies condemn him for brutality. I win.
To this I would add 5. When my enemy kills innocent civilians that I purposefully put in harms way, even his own allies condemn him for brutality. I win.
August 5th, 2006 at 7:35 am
The blood feud can not be resolved by analysing its “logic” but only by honestly stating its history and honestly brokering equitable compensation for the harms.
August 5th, 2006 at 8:06 am
There is no “equitable compensation”. The value of the human lives lost are beyond measure and there is no form of compensation that can ever be enough.
August 5th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
I agree that the value of each person is infinite: no amount of treasure will bring back one killed.
Yet life is for the living and the yet to live. For them peace will only come when the burning memories of lost loved ones are assuaged by practical compensation - honestly negotiated rights to territory and livelihood.
August 5th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
Rights to territory and livelihood mean nothing when the fundamental right to exist has been denied.
August 5th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Like you I am deeply concerned to see so much suffering. Contact me if you would like to discuss. Peace.
September 11th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
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