Subj : Moral requirements
To   : ALL
From : BOB KLAHN
Date : Wed Feb 16 2011 14:04:02



 Just a bit found online. From Oct 2001.

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  War in Afghanistan

 ...

 Although the Taliban had refused to turn Osama bin Laden over
 to the United States, it had offered 1) to negotiate, 2) to put
 him on trial in an Islamic court and 3) to turn him over to a
 third country if the United States provided evidence of his
 guilt. These offers were rejected out of hand by the Bush
 administration as nothing more than delaying tactics. Since the

 ...

 While the U.S. arguments are strong, the curt refusal to
 negotiate makes the United States look to many in the Islamic
 world like a bully; and in a war on terrorism, Muslim public
 opinion matters. And while there is no possibility of a fair
 trial in Kabul (he was a major military and financial supporter
 of the Taliban), the idea of bin Laden trying to defend himself
 before an Islamic court is very attractive. In a fair trial
 before unbiased Islamic jurists, he would face conviction for
 violating Islamic principles in attacking innocent civilians.
 Such a conviction would do more to undermine terrorism in the
 Muslim world than anything the United States could do on its
 own.

 We will never know what would have happened if the United
 States had called the Taliban's bluff and suggested some
 ...

 countries and jurists about such a scenario. Alternatively, bin
 Laden could be tried by an international criminal tribunal.

 Even if war is justly engaged in as a last resort, it must also
 be waged in a just manner. The intention should be to seek
 justice, not revenge; direct attacks on civilians must be
 avoided, and the force used must be proportionate to the ends to
 be achieved.

 ...

 this struggle primarily in military terms, but the war on
 terrorism cannot be won simply with bullets. The United States
 needs the support not only of the elites governing Muslim
 countries, but also of Muslim public opinion. That is why it was
 foolish for the administration to wait a month before accepting
 invitations to appear on Al Jazeera, an independent all-news
 satellite channel based in Qatar, which could be used to send
 our message to the Muslim world. This war will not be won in the
 mountains of Afghanistan. It will be won when Muslims are
 convinced that the United States acts justly.



BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

.... Republicans-united by feelings of Victimhood, and obsessed with Revenge.
--- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg]
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)

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