At 11:52 PM 9/16/01 +0200 J. van Baardwijk wrote:
>In all fairness: my turn to ask the questions, and your turn to answer them.
Sure, I am always happy to clarify my position.
>#1: Country A supports terrorism against country B. Should country B be
>allowed to let its military strike back at country A?
Yes.
>#2: If the answer to #1 is "yes", would this always be true, or only for
>certain countries B?
Almost always yes. If country B also is a State-sponsor of terrorism,
they are both justified and not justified. (see next)
>#5: If country B strikes back at country A, would it be justified if
>country A would in turn attack country B (either through A's military or
>through further support for the terrorists)?
No.
Governments that support terrorism are not legitimate governments, and
therfore they forfeit the ordinary rights of governments.
Analogy: All human beings have a right to freedom of movement within their
country (see Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13.) Yet, a
serial killer forfeits his right to freedom of movement.
A government that supports terrorism, most especially terrorism of this
unprecedented nature, has committed a serious crime and has forfeited its
rights.
Of course, just as the serial killer will attempt to preserve his rights by
fleeing arrest (in most cases), likewise Country A will fight back anyways,
even though it is not justified in doing so. It is the moral obligation
of all free countries, however, to joing country B in either gaining the
recognizance of Country A - or bringing the government of Country A to
justice.
And, just like the serial killer who violently resists arrest, if many
members of the government and military of Country A are killed in the
process, that does not change the fundamentally just action of bringing
Country A to justice.
>I await your answers.
Next question?
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Freedom itself was attacked today, and Freedom will be Defended."
-U.S. President George W. Bush, 09/11/01
