irateplatypus

i think that there is a big leap, a radical change of direction, when you begin to lose the distinction between a "just" action and an "effective" action. it may well be that there are times when there is no just action that is also effective. so, in order to be effective... a group decides to do things that are unjust.

it may most be effective to murder civilians... but i would not call it just (or fair, or legitimate as the chosen vocabularly for this discussion has determined). so to the terrorists who are resorting to chopping off heads as a desparate measure i say: tough cookies... you've been beaten in the internationally legitimate channels of resolving or fighting conflicts. it seems that their options have now narrowed to few. they can choose to be criminals, or they can choose to maintain their integrity and dignity by trying to work within the law to bring about change (ironically, only a real option since the wars end) or try non-violent methods.

if there were genuine injustice over there for these people who use terror as their weapon of choice (or necessity as it has been proposed), then i'd like to see more condemnation for their methods and more advocates of a Ghandi-like peaceful resistance. to me, their methods seem to indicate that they're not as interested in justice as they are power.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill