An acceptable and honorable tactic?

[lynx]

A bit more than "I guess so".

I was merely pointing out that the moral bankruptcy of whatever we want to call what is happening in Iraq began years ago and that if one were to consider what happens there on a daily basis we would be drained of all emotion - as increasingly Iraqis are becoming. This particular incident is a notch up above the average list of daily horrors but I would contend it is only a notch as they are already at a pretty high level of horror.

The coalition troops who are out there not only contend with possible injury and death but many also come back emotionally scarred from the inhumanity of the scenes they have witnessed.

I realize all of this, Les, but I wonder where are the voices that decry and denounce the like of Abu Ghraib when this stuff happens?

Not a bloody peep.

Maybe that's because there's no-one trying to justify this behaviour.

[Agrajag]

As I understand it atrocities have been going on in Iraq for years, loads of other places too. The only difference is that they are being reported now. Let's not pretend we didn't know things were going on. We are only horrified at that which is brought to our attention.

The fact that we know that billions of people are currently starving can pretty much be ignored. However 2 children being used as a decoy in a bombing, that's appalling.

[j2k4]

I realize all of this, Les, but I wonder where are the voices that decry and denounce the like of Abu Ghraib when this stuff happens?

Not a bloody peep.

Maybe that's because there's no-one trying to justify this behaviour.

Then it is an equation with only one side?

As I understand it atrocities have been going on in Iraq for years, loads of other places too. The only difference is that they are being reported now. Let's not pretend we didn't know things were going on. We are only horrified at that which is brought to our attention.

The fact that we know that billions of people are currently starving can pretty much be ignored. However 2 children being used as a decoy in a bombing, that's appalling.

Billions of people?

Maybe, maybe.

We could feed them with food and agricultural technology rather than money to be mal-appropriated by strongmen and warlords, I suppose.

And you are correct, of course; 2 children being used as decoys in a bombing is appalling, indeed.

[Agrajag]

As I understand it atrocities have been going on in Iraq for years, loads of other places too. The only difference is that they are being reported now. Let's not pretend we didn't know things were going on. We are only horrified at that which is brought to our attention.

The fact that we know that billions of people are currently starving can pretty much be ignored. However 2 children being used as a decoy in a bombing, that's appalling.

Billions of people?

Maybe, maybe.

Call it three quarters of a billion then. The point isn't really the number it's the perception. We are rightly horrified by sensational stories when we read them. However the really appalling happens on a daily basis. Every second of every day people starve, or are tortured, or are enslaved, or live in fear. Or all of the above. The worst thing is we know about it.

[j2k4]

Billions of people?

Maybe, maybe.

Call it three quarters of a billion then. The point isn't really the number it's the perception. We are rightly horrified by sensational stories when we read them. However the really appalling happens on a daily basis. Every second of every day people starve, or are tortured, or are enslaved, or live in fear. Or all of the above. The worst thing is we know about it.

Agreed, agreed, and agreed.