The Difference Between Intentional Murder and Unintentional Deaths
Blogger Tom Clarke over at thebadrash.com has a mental problem telling the difference between Palestinian "nationalists," as he calls them, and Israel's defense forces - that since both end up killing civilians, then both are guilty of intentional "murder." Sorry to point this out, Tom, but as I wrote in my article A Jew Kills An Arab Kills - What is the Difference, "[A]nyone who thinks there is no difference between unintended deaths and targeted killings is a psychopath."
Here's his take on the Arab/Israeli conflict:
thebadrash.com, The language of 'terror' revisited
In the vast majority of conflicts between Israel and its neighbours (or groups such as Hezbollah), huge numbers of innocent civilians are killed or displaced. Because this is nothing new, it must surely feature in IDF strategic planning. It can therefore be said that the death of innocent civilians is considered as a justifiable means to achieve the end which the IDF seeks. Therefore, while not the primary aim of Israeli military attacks, civilian deaths are not regretted by the IDF being, as they are, the way by which Israel will prevail.It is therefore not the aim of either to murder civilians, but because both forces know that these deaths will occur, they are intentional. In other words, there is no fundamental difference between Hezbollah and the IDF. Both forces recognise that in order to achieve their goals, they must murder innocent civilians.
In what Bizarro planet does this guy live on? It is not the aim of Palestinians to murder civilians?
I responded:
Using your absurd logic there was no fundamental difference between Allied forces and the Nazis during WWII, both knew civilians would die.
Your logic also misses the fact that no one dies in Lebanon or Gaza if no one lobs missiles into Israel; that is, the IDF does not have a policy of purposely targeting civilians since absent an attack by Palestinians, they do not kill anyone.
On the other hand, if there is no one dying in Lebanon or Gaza for too long, Hezbollah or Hamas will purposely send missiles into civilian areas into Israel for two reasons:
1) to kill Jews.
2) to provoke Israel in self-defense to kill Palestinians.That you cannot distinguish between the two is very telling about the type of person you are.
Does Tom really believe that simply because car manufacturers know that thousands of people will die driving their automobiles that these manufacturers are therefore guilty of murder? After all, although the aim of car companies is not to murder civilians, they do know that these deaths will occur, so therefore they are intentional. Has anyone in the history of the world made a more absurd and ridiculous assertion?
