Total War

Naturally, WAISers feel strongly about the Israel-Palestinian confrontation. I must select those statements which add to our understanding of the issues. Bob Gard says "The 1977 Protocols Additional to the Geneva conventions of 1949 put civilian targets off limits in war, total or limited. This isn't to say signatories, including the US in Kosovo, have complied with them".

I wish Bob would expand this. This means that carpet bombing and Hiroshima would be illegal. What would be the consequences? Has the US ratified the conventions and their protocols? What countries have? There is virtual unanimity among WAISers that more Palestinian civilians have died than Israeli ones, and the excuse that Israel was aiming at military targets is unconvincing. When the US bombs military targets in Iraq, the Iraqi government stresses the number of civilians killed. In this case, the US position seems correct.

Ronald Hilton - 10/4/01