Text 17404, 74 rader
Skriven 2011-04-24 09:55:00 av WAYNE CHIRNSIDE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av LEE LOFASO
Ärende: Re: Taxes (was: Aust  2/3
=================================
-=> LEE LOFASO wrote to WAYNE CHIRNSIDE <=-

 >>> Continued from previous message

 LL> What does this tell us about who we are to protect in Libya,
 LL> or anyplace else?  Maybe the better question would be -

 LL> What is the difference between a civilian and a rebel?

 LL> In "Starship Troopers", the military had full rights of citizenship
 LL> while non-members (civilians) did not.  This is apparently the
 LL> definition the U.N., NATO, and U.S. President Barack Obama use in
 LL> reference to the mission in Libya.

 LL> However, if one goes by the definition as given by the International
 LL> Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), then it becomes clear that the UN,
 LL> NATO, and US are all in violation of international law, with the
 LL> Libyan dictator being the only player who is not being dirty -

 LL> "If civilians directly engage in hostilities, they are considered
 LL> `unlawful' or `underprivileged' combatants or belligerents.  They
 LL> may be prosecuted under the domestic law of the detaining state
 LL> for such action."

 LL> There's more -

 LL> "Definition of civilians and civilian population" indicates who
 LL> is a civilian and not a legal combatant.  "In case of doubt whether
 LL> a person is a civilian, that person shall be considered to be a
 LL> civilian."

 LL> [1977 Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions]

 LL> Continuing, Article 51 describes protection that must be given
 LL> to civilians.  In particular, Chapter III of Protocol I regulates
 LL> the targeting of civilian objects.

 LL> Interesting stuff.  But no clear definitions anywhere to be found.

 LL> So.  A civilian is a civilian.  Even if a civilian is armed with
 LL> an AK-47 and pointing that rifle straight at real army soldiers.
 LL> Students at Kent State tried to do that in the USA.  The students
 LL> lost.

 LL> 1998 Rome Statute of the ICC includes a list of war crimes -
 LL> "Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population
 LL> as much or against individual civilians not taking part in
 LL> hostilities."

 LL> Gosh.  Kent State students burned down the ROTC building
 LL> and that is not supposed to be considered as being a hostile
 LL> act?  Come on.  Get real.  Those kids deserved to die.

 LL> "LBJ LBJ How Many Kids Did You Kill Today?"

 LL> Oops.  Wrong prez...

Yup.
Wrong President yet again.

I'm not really informed enough about Libya to offer a supportable
position or side but whatt I do know is neither side appears to be 
sufficiently civilized as to where I'd put our servicemen and woman
in harms way.

Of course we've largely avoided that as yet by going to the drones
however I don't see John McCains heros as being any better than Khaddafi
from the video I watched.
I sure as hell wouldn't want them running around in this country
as those psychos beat anything we can offer up domestically. 

... It is the best of all possible worlds said doctor Pangloss to Candide.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.49
 * Origin: Since 1991 And Were Still Here! DOCSPLACE.TZO.COM (1:123/140)