Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 11:42:40 -0700 (MST)
From: thekoba 
Subject: [azsecularhumanists] Israeli "civilians"
To: opinions@arizonarepublic.com
Cc: nebukhadhnasar@yahoo.com, proton@ruscable.ru, cbpeek@hotmail.com, azsecularhumanists@yahoogroups.com, rlburk1@cox.net, tjohn33@email.msn.com, Dpceranski@aol.com, radioholly@yahoo.com, nsubufa@yahoo.com, abikani@ezweb.ne.jp, andrzej-kowalik@wp.pl, vik777@newmail.ru
Reply-To: azsecularhumanists@yahoogroups.com

10 August 2002 Kevin James Walsh Phoenix AZ 85018 thekoba

Letters to the Editor The Arizona Republic Phoenix AZ opinions@arizonarepublic.com

Dear Editor:

There is nothing new about killing civilians in war and collateral damage. In ancient and Medieval sieges the civilian residents of a besieged town often starved to death or died of preventable disease owing to poor sanitation enforced by a siege. Civilians likewise succummed to blockades and starvation in Renaissance and modern wars, as is currently the case in the silent war against Iraq. Aerial bombardment of cities has added a new dimension to civilian casualties in the wars of the past century. Civilians have always been casualties of war and always will be as long as people fight wars. It is foolish and hypocritical to criticize an enemy for targeting civilians.

Nonetheless there are many who engage in this foolishness. In particular I have seen several letters in the Republic's pages criticizing the martyrdom bombers for killing Israeli "civilians". In this particular case, even the use of the term "civilian" is largely inaccurate. Israel has universal conscription. Every Israeli Jew is required to serve in the Israeli Defense Force from age 18 until age 21. After that men are members of the reserve, serving one month per year until age 55 and women until age 50. Thus the overwhelming majority of Israeli Jews are soldiers, former soldiers, or potential soldiers.

When a martyr detonates himself or herself on a crowded street, the people walking by may wear civilian clothes and be engaged in civilian functions at the time. The middle-aged pizza cook probably just came back from killing Palestineans in the West Bank or was about to depart to do that. The teenager was about to be conscripted into the IDF to do the same. The retired old man probably killed Arabs in the 1967 war. Even the newborn baby would do the same someday if Zionism isn't stopped dead. The Zionists have chosen this militarizationof society. They must accept the consequences of that.

I applaud the courage of the martyrs who give their own lives for Palestine's freedom. This is more courage than any Zionists have shown. It is worthwhile even if every Jew in Palestine must be killed.

Sincerely,

Kevin Walsh

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