Why can't we take the side of the civilians?

[Bjorn Against]

Why do we keep talking about "both sides" of the middle east crisis while far too often completely ignoring the third side? I reject the tactics of both the Israeli military and Hamas, and instead I embrace the side of the civilians.

It does not matter if they are Israeli civilians, Palestinians, Americans, Iraqis, or civilians of any other nation. No civilian should have to die because people are unable to come to the table and talk like adults rather than just blowing up anyone who disagrees with them.

Please don't tell me that one military force is morally superior to another, anyone who would blow up civilians is wrong. Period. As far as I am concerned the Pentagon, the Israeli Defense Forces, and Hamas are all the same. You can find atrocities among all these groups, and if we continue to pretend that is not true we will never find peace. Lets not get into an argument over whose atrocities are worse because an atrocity is an atrocity and we need to stop them all no matter what side they come from.

The only logical side to take in this battle is the side of the innocents, the side of the people who want peace and live peacefully. I stand with the victims of the Israeli bombings, just as I stand with the victims of the Hamas suicide attacks. I stand with the innocent Iraqi and Afghani citizens who have had their homes destroyed by American bombs, just as I stand with the innocent Americans who lost their families on 9/11.

If we want peace let us stand with the innocent, not the guilty. There are more than two sides in this conflict let us embrace the third side.

[Lerkfish]

1. philosophically, I agree. Logistically, I don't see it happening.

civilians are powerless. And, they are not valuable enough to the Bushco to protect as an entity unto themselves.
Further, Bush WANTS this war, so collateral damage makes no never mind to him.

I like your point, I wish everyone thought that way. But if they did, we wouldn't be here at this point, I don't think.

[Bjorn Against]

3. It is already happening.

If just one person takes the side of the civilians that means something, and there is no reason we could not get hundreds of millions world wide to take that position. Lets not allow the powerful to decide who we support in this battle.

[Benhurst]

2. Why should we in BushAmerica bother our beautiful minds

thinking about such things?

[hlthe2b]

4. Morally, ethically, and rationally, that is the position we should

take..

However, nothing about this conflict, nor certainly the Bush* administration is moral, ethical, or rational. We've got other DUers (armchair "warriors", naturally) advocating for us to just let them go at it until the "bitter end" since all previous cease fire agreements have not been permanent. These are the same "humans" who look on the animal kingdom as a lower form of life. Well, it seems that (even without the "moral" teachings of Falwell and Pat Robertson) animals are able to settle differences without wiping their entire group or species out....Superior species due to our "big brains" and "ability to learn?" I wonder...

[XForce]

5. it's a nice thought but....

That would be the sensible call for what's correct to do, but in a world driven by the Neocons and their money profited off wars, it will never happen.

[nosillies]

6. Beautifully said

:applause:

[Ignoramus]

7. Yes.

All people are good. Only actions can be bad. It is the action that needs to be stopped.

We are all morally equivilent. No one gets moral credit. No one has moral debt that has to be repaid.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mr_Spock]

9. I agree with your message with NO conditionals

I am sick of the RW reasoning I'm reading here on DU lately.

Murdering civilians is wrong . <- period

[femrap]

10. I agree with you....I hate the senseless

violence...the random killings. And it all seems to be based on money....there is so much money to be made in wars. And these greedy men go in search of sadistic, macho types who are willing to kill strangers....in fact I think some may enjoy it. After all, for years young boys have sat for hours playing video games of death and violence.

I am sick of war and those that enter into it. It just doesn't have to be this way.

Go stream today's Democracy Now! and listen to one of the co-founders of Combatants for Peace...Mr. Shapira, a captain in the Israli military. He gives me hope.