People are, quite rightly, outraged about Israeli forces killing women and children in Gaza. Israel is using disproportionate force in this conflict and killing innocent civilians along the way. 'The way' being to protect its very existence against forces which would, if they had the competence and ability, be doing exactly the same thing to Israeli women and children.
So there's really no difference in terms of the morality of the two sides, just a difference in competence. That's quite an important thing to note when you are considering which side is in the right here. Neither is really.
On the face of it, neither side is anywhere near being 'in the right'. 'Disproportionate force is a big issue for many people. Hamas is firing rockets into Israel, but Israel's Iron Dome is rendering them largely ineffective, whereas Israel's forces and arms are killing people. The motivation, on both sides is the same - exactly the same (kill the enemy, although Israel's is a defensive stance not the agressor) - but the capability is different. And many people are basing their opinion on this conflict not on motivation or degree of evil, but on capability.
Would Hamas hesitate to kill Iraeli children if it could? I don't think so.
So soak up the emotive images, and it is a truly tragic situation I agree, but don't base your judgement on the emotive stuff. This is a war. Disproportionate? So was Dresden, so was Hiroshima, it was done for the greater good and the longer term stability of the world.
My own view - and this will be highly unpopular - is that you cannot negotiate with Islam. It's very tennet of purpose is not compromise but victory. It seeks to impose its values and views on the world. It would take us back to the Middle Ages in terms of values, women's rights (non-existent) and laws.
It is not just Israel that is at war with Islam, it is all of us, in a modern, western, free society, who are at war with Islam. It is not the religion of peace. It is the religion of hatred and oppression. There is no such thing as a moderate Muslim. There may be passive Muslims, but their belief system is Sharia law, a take-over of our liberal views. Our freedom of speech and life.
It's time we stopped pussy-footing around with these people on the basis of trying not to offend them, and asked them what they want. What they believe, how they see the future of our society. If the answer is not in line with our own, we should act to defend our values. And not carry on in the way we are, in order to be 'nice'.
Israel is doing us a favour and it is one that we will have to have the balls to do ourselves before much longer in my opinion.
Thanks for reading.
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