The Death Penalty or Life Meaning Life

[Thorne]

It is certainly not the intention of the government or of industry in general to eliminate intruders. That's why they post warnings

If I put up an electrified fence around my house, with proper warnings posted, how is that any different from what governments do? I'm only protecting the public from the pitfall traps dug in my yard, after all.

I seem to recall some rather famous trials took place in Nuremburg.

Yes, with the loser's on trial, as I said. I don't recall reading of any trials condemning the Russians for the depravities inflicted upon civilians by their soldiers, or the enslavement of prisoners of war. But then, they were on the winning side, weren't they?

Sometimes it might be difficult to draw that line between a legitimate act of war and a war crime ... on which side did Blitzkrieg fall?

Blitzkrieg was a type of warfare, utilizing the speed and maneuverability of armored units. It has nothing to do with war crimes. Allied forces used the same techniques, once they saw how effective they were.

With very few exceptions, actions performed by the winners in the war are not generally treated as war crimes.

Who in their right minds advocates detonating bombs at random without regard to the consequences?

Why do you assume there would be no regard for the consequences? If you assume that the bombs will NOT be found before they are placed at their targets, and you can only prevent that by randomly broadcasting radio waves that MAY detonate some of the bombs, isn't it likely that any damage, and casualties, will be far less than if the terrorists hit their planned target? Plus you are more likely to kill the bomb maker. Another plus.

Personally, I'll go with shooting the SOB while he's still making the bomb. Or is that too soon? After all, manufacturing a bomb is not an immediate threat, is it?

And that, Thorne, as you well know, is murder

Is it? Isn't making a bomb a terrorist act? Basically, an act of war? So killing the terrorist is also an act of war, is it not? Especially if the shooting is done by the police or the military.

[MMI]

Yes, with the loser's on trial, as I said. I don't recall reading of any trials condemning the Russians for the depravities inflicted upon civilians by their soldiers, or the enslavement of prisoners of war. But then, they were on the winning side, weren't they?

I did accept that point in my last post. But the losers were tried for criminal acts, not for prosecuting the war. There is a distinctio

Blitzkrieg was a type of warfare, utilizing the speed and maneuverability of armored units. It has nothing to do with war crimes. Allied forces used the same techniques, once they saw how effective they were.

A genuine act of war, then, and not a war crime.

With very few exceptions, actions performed by the winners in. The war are not generally treated as war crimes.

See above. Generally speaking, genuine acts of war by the losing side are not treated as war crimes either. There is a distinction between acts of war and criminal acts by the combatants

Why do you assume there would be no regard for the consequences? If you assume that the bombs will NOT be found before they are placed at their targets, and you can only prevent that by randomly broadcasting radio waves that MAY detonate some of the bombs, isn't it likely that any damage, and casualties, will be far less than if the terrorists hit their planned target? Plus you are more likely to kill the bomb maker. Another plus.

If you don't know where the bomb factory is, how can you possibly make that calculation? Chances are it will be a house in the middle of a residential area, or in a high-rise block of flats.

Is it? Isn't making a bomb a terrorist act? Basically, an act of war? So killing the terrorist is also an act of war, is it not? Especially if the shooting is done by the police or the military.

Bomb-making by terrorists is in no legal sense an act of war: it is an act of terrorism, which is a crime. American law defines war as conflict between nations. "War is a contention between two or more States through their armed forces. War is that state in which a nation prosecutes its right by force." Quoted by Justice Hays in Pan American World Air., Inc. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 505 F. 2d 989 (1974). Countering terrorism is law enforcement, not war, and you glorify the terrorists' actions if you elevate them to acts of war. Consider how fondly many Americans regard the IRA as a noble, patriotic organisation, when it is, at best, a group of murderers, pimps, extortionists and drug dealers. But the IRA had a good press over there.