Eric commented the following:
“So what are your specific disagreements with the reasoning between the 4th Geneva Convention? While one behind all of them, I believe, is that it is intended to prevent escalation, you already assume that there is no hope for any other end to this war (it does seem to me folly; it also forgets that there are factions in enemy leadership that can be encouraged and discouraged by our actions, and it forgets, in related manner, the principle of "self-fulfilling prophecy". I admit you have some evidence on your side (gah, I do remember what happened to a fictional would-be ex-terrorist leader who tried to bring in factions to make peace on the TV show 24 recently- killed by our side, if accidentally) but not sufficient that I find compelling. “
Well stated Eric so I though I would Blog my answer and response as a way to debate the issue and I also understand I have an advantage due to it being my blog and your comments here are rather limited due to allowed keystrokes from comments while I can ramble on. But feel free to email me with longer views and I’ll do as here and post the entire text.
As for my disagreements with the Convention I have none from an intellectual stand point and find them a fine attempt at controlling the ciaos of two enemies dukein it out.
But it brings to mind an analogy of two boxers one that follows the Marcus of Queensbury Rules, While his opponent is allowed a baseball bat , allowed to bite scratch and call in a couple of friends to hold the fair-minded rule abiding boxers arms .
The fine gentleman will receive cheers for his Honor at following the rules as he lies bleeding to death at center ring.
The Convention can only stand if it’s duplicitous. Both sides must abide by the complete Convention or the Convention is a suicide pact. In order to make the decision to abide by the rules you must know your opponent. If our good guy boxer knew the other guy had used a baseball bat and buddies in every fight he ever fought he might very well suspend those rules for the next bout… Myself I would bring a gun to the match and screw the rules.
I have done a great deal of study of our enemy with one thing in mind, My Son. He will be in harms way and knowledge of the folks he faces is of vital importance to me.
This is not the Nazi’s we are facing, as they were a specific uniformed enemy. Even then we fire bombed cities and killed millions because they did it first and we targeted civilians as they did. But because they followed most of the rules we also followed most of the rules. We treated captured solders pretty well over all even when some on the other side didn’t follow the same rules.
This enemy is not in uniform so we cannot distinguish direct combatant from supporter or a civilian that just wants to get through the day. That’s not our fault. It those that set up shop upstairs from a mom and pop shop who are at fault.
This death cult by its very nature has shown by history it must destroy western civilization and I fully understand why. The basic principal of Islam as followed by the majority of Muslims is a view that Sharia Law should be followed and this must be enforced by force. If we just live life and do our western way of life there are some that would be tempted to follow suit. Just the fact that we live in a world where our way of life causes some to wish for freedom the fanatic portion see us as attacking just by living in our freedom.
In Iraq we hear of Sunni fighting Shiite in a civil war but recently we have found that the car bombs are by the same folks that brought us 9/11 faking a civil war and killing their own in order to make us walk away.
This enemy has done this many times in history and there has never been a way to come to an agreement. We have generations that have been brought up to do but one thing and that is kill You and Your Family. To the ones we have captured, and got to talk , that is how personnel they see it.
Now it is possible that more moderate Muslim groups and countries could control this minority and change the outcome so we could come to some peaceful accord but look at what history has shown. When Milosevic was wiping them from the earth none of the Middle Eastern countries came to their aid and it was the west that saved them. In the Soviet Union the Chetsnians were being slaughtered and the Middle Eastern countries never attempted to intercede. While we try to be the nice guys and save them from those that have learned the hard way what this enemy has done in the past we have only helped our enemy want to attack us more.
So I ask you, Do you have any method that might prevent Iran from building a nuke and slipping it to a suicide bomber coming to a town near you while still playing by the rules? I have tried to figure a way and see no way other than to fight by the rules the enemy follows. Unless you are ready to let millions of Jews come here ( the entire nation of Israel ) and live ,or let all of them be wiped out by the millions… are ready to let the entire population fall under Iranian style Sharia Law until one of the Mullahs decides to send you a present.. are ready to go on defense and pull all American and Western people and assets totally out of the theater of action and close our nation down to outside contact you will you will find that we cannot now nor have we ever been able to make lasting peace except under force of arms.. and that force must be equal in the barbarity on our side as our enemy uses against us or we will lose. And if we lose your children will never know freedom.. are you ok with that. If you or anyone can give me any other solution that has even the slightest possibility of working so my son doesn’t have to know of war I would be the first to sigh up.
In 1500 years it has cost millions of lives to find that this enemy has always shown one goal, Death for Martyrdom and as we saw with the Japanese Kamikazes the only thing that stopped them was ugly, brutal, total war and in this one once our enemies fail to wear a uniform he has given up his Geneva Convention rights and should not be given any quarter. This is the only way to make the next group that wants to not play by the rules see what that entails and we are seen as maybe a not nice nation, but a nation and a culture that still exists. I would rather break the rule and live than follow them and die.
Just my opinion
If next week a weapon is detonated in say Chicago and we lose 200,000 people would you be willing to not abide by the Geneva Convention? I choose to make that decision before it happens because afterwards it’s a moot point. And I have seen no indication that any actions, other than brute force, has ever held this enemy at bay and with my son on the line I would embrace any idea that would work. But for every suggestion I have heard I can see the outcome even worse.
