At Kos, Thought Experiment Lacks any Thought

Over at the Daily Kos a writer named Heathlander has a post entitled Iran has a right to attack Israel. Now this is supposed to be a though experiment but the problem is little thought was used to formulate the post and the opinions of Noam Chomsky are used to justify the conclusion. There are suppositions that are not based in fact nor are they supported by evidence.

The exercise starts by stating that since the US and Israel have talked about military options with regard to Iran than this is preventive war and is illegal. If international law states this is illegal than only after an attack was launched would a crime be committed. Talking about doing it does not make it illegal. However, to give the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the author meant to indicate that if we carried through with it, then it would be illegal. I am not writing to debate international law so I will assume that the writer is correct in the statement that a preventive attack is illegal.

Heathlander goes on to indicate that since the US and Israel are talking about attacking Iran for having trying to build nuclear weapons (an assertion the author says he does not believe but accepts as true for his post) then Iran is well within its right to attack either or both countries because they are planning military action. In other words, if the justification for the US and Israel is the threat of Iran with nukes then the threat from the US and Israel are enough to allow Iran to attack. The author indicates that the Iranian President said a few things to the effect that the Zionist regime must be destroyed. This, in and of itself, is a blatant attempt to diminish the threat posed by Iran to support the argument. The Iranian president did not make some vague reference or even a few vague references. He clearly stated that Israel should be wiped off the map and he said it more than a few times. Therefore, the idea that it was a few vague items is misleading, and deliberately so.

Therefore, the idea that Iran has a right because we threatened them is false, it is circular logic. The fact is Iran made clear threats against a country. When your sworn enemy says that he wants to destroy you then you can not ignore it. I wonder if someone told Heathlander that they were going to come to his house and rape his wife and then kill his family, would he ignore it. Would he ignore such a threat (especially if communicated by someone with a history of violent, anti-social behavior) or would he notify the authorities? Well, Israel and the US have taken this case to the UN, which is supposed to be a higher authority (though they are worthless anti-Semites). Now, given the rapist scenario, I am sure Heathlander would notify the police and then be ready in case the rapist/murderer showed up. If that guy came close to Heathlander’s house then I assume Heathlander would take any action necessary to protect his family (I am also assuming Heathlander is a male).

It is evident that Heathlander is trying to indicate that vague actions by the Iranians have been trumped up and used by the US and Israel to plan for war and that gives Iran the right to attack first. Perhaps, if Iran had not made real and clear threats against Israel there would be no need for the plan to intervene in the first place. In any event rather than being a thinking exercise, it is an exercise in circular logic that solves nothing. However, for the record I would like to say that if Iran feels it has the right to attack then let them do so. I would expect we could take care of that, of course only if we stopped listening to the mindless prattle that comes from people like those at Kos and just take the war to the enemy balls to the walls. If Iran attacks anyone, I will not hold my breath waiting for condemnation from the worthless people at the UN or the liberals here in America. They would all claim it was Iran’s right and then impose sanctions on those who responded in kind.

This thought experiment was interesting but it lacked thought. Since Heathlander seems to believe that one may only attack when attacked or attack is imminent (the premise we accepted as true) then I wonder why everyone in the world keeps demanding that Israel stop fighting with Hezbollah and Hamas. You see, these groups of terrorists keep shooting rockets into Israel and in my book that is being attacked. But, as soon as Israel responds the libs and the UN cry about a disproportionate response, loss of life, damage to buildings, blah, blah. They never condemn the sand fleas that start the mess, only the Jews who respond in order to defend themselves.

Here is a thought experiment for you. Let’s suppose the enemy wants to kill us and they have no regard for human life. Then, let’s suppose we attack them with everything and be as brutal as they have been so that we can kill them all and then live in peace. As for the “innocent” civilians who get killed, as Kos would say, “screw them.”

As an aside, the last time I wrote something about the Kos site someone commented that Kos served in the military or does that [military service] only matter for Republicans. As I stated in that comment thread, I thank everyone for their service but their service does not make them right (just as mine does not make me right). However, I believe that statement was made as if Kos was some General and had insight. I saw the picture of him and he was a Private. Privates know a lot about cleaning latrines, peeling potatoes, and shining boots. They are not the voice of authority on much of anything. Since I was promoted five more times, I will just stick with, thanks for your service now get back to that latrine.

Big Dog salute to Little Green Footballs

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One Response to “At Kos, Thought Experiment Lacks any Thought”

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