Israel Assassinating More Nuclear Scientists?

[HeadlessRoland]

'Five nuclear engineers murdered near Damascus' - Israel News, Ynetnews

Mossad apparently is getting sick of everyone else's ****.

 

[Expat]

I am sure all of this talk about Obama's offer to the Iranians of allowing their nuke program to grow in exchange for fighting ISIS/ISIL is making them nervous. Then they have to worry about Assad falling to those whack jobs and whatever goodies he has stored away or in development getting in their hands. I would be a little tense as well.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

I am sure all of this talk about Obama's offer to the Iranians of allowing their nuke program to grow in exchange for fighting ISIS/ISIL is making them nervous. Then they have to worry about Assad falling to those whack jobs and whatever goodies he has stored away or in development getting in their hands. I would be a little tense as well.

But if we can, ethically, assassinate our political enemies, where does it end? Where is the logical stopping point of this tautology? Does it have one?

I'm not saying Israel doesn't have good reasons to be pro-active about its national security, but is assassination an ethical political tool? Does ethics even apply to the body politic, if might truly does make right and can render ethics moot? Interesting times in which we live.

 

[pudly]

But if we can, ethically, assassinate our political enemies, where does it end?

Political enemies? Since when is being an active supplier of terrorist financing and weapons, development of long-range missiles and working towards nuclear annihilation political and not warfare?

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Political enemies? Since when is being an active supplier of terrorist financing and weapons, development of long-range missiles and working towards nuclear annihilation political and not warfare?

Okay, so I can put you as a firm vote in the 'yes, we can' camp. Got it.

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

Are the scientists that are creating nuclear bombs for the sole purpose of destroying Israel any different then a suicide bomber on steroids? I don't see any difference, should we assassinate our political enemies? No, but politics have nothing to do with trying to wipe a entire people off the map, that's genocide. My vote goes for seek and destroy!

 

[pudly]

I'm not saying Israel doesn't have good reasons to be pro-active about its national security, but is assassination an ethical political tool?

Okay, so I can put you as a firm vote in the 'yes, we can' camp. Got it.

Not at all. I'm simply asking you to reexamine your assertion that Israels actions are political and not a part of an ongoing war with Iran.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Not at all. I'm simply asking you to reexamine your assertion that Israels actions are political and not a part of an ongoing war with Iran.

Then you misunderstand the word 'political' - every war in history is political. Every action undertaken by a State is political. But since you and others seem so hung up on that particular word, is it fine to assassinate our enemies? Forget the body politic, is it justifiable to pre-emptively assassinate those who wish us ill?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Israel has been put on notice by it enemies. They need to do what they need to do to help insure they're not destroyed. They are alone and they know it. If Canada had sworn, on multiple times, to annihilate the USA, I would have no problem with us taking steps to destroy their ability to do so.

 

[Rhoadmar]

Then you misunderstand the word 'political' - every war in history is political. Every action undertaken by a State is political. But since you and others seem so hung up on that particular word, is it fine to assassinate our enemies? Forget the body politic, is it justifiable to pre-emptively assassinate those who wish us ill?

Wishing ill and consistently calling for and working towards genocidal elimination are two completely different things. In this instance the assassinations are justified.

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

Then you misunderstand the word 'political' - every war in history is political. Every action undertaken by a State is political. But since you and others seem so hung up on that particular word, is it fine to assassinate our enemies? Forget the body politic, is it justifiable to pre-emptively assassinate those who wish us ill?

Would you kill someone who is loading their shotgun to kill you?

 

[pudly]

Then you misunderstand the word 'political' - every war in history is political. Every action undertaken by a State is political. But since you and others seem so hung up on that particular word, is it fine to assassinate our enemies? Forget the body politic, is it justifiable to pre-emptively assassinate those who wish us ill?

You keep intermixing "our" and the Israeli situations as if they are the same. They aren't.

Wishing ill and consistently calling for and working towards genocidal elimination are two completely different things. In this instance the assassinations are justified.

Precisely.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

You keep intermixing "our" and the Israeli situations as if they are the same. They aren't.

Then please do distinguish them. Why would we then not be justified in assassinating Khamenei and the ayatollahs? Why shouldn't we then assassinate those who are our sworn enemies? Why could our enemies not then do precisely the same to us and be absolutely as justified in their usage of the tactic as well, if assassination is an acceptable tactic to utilize against one's enemies? Why couldn't they? What is the delineation for this tautology? Where does assassination as a tactic and strategy end, if conventional means of warfare are overlooked and cast aside?

 

[mrjarrell]

Why is anyone bringing up Iran? The scientists that were murdered, (ostensibly by Israel, although we don't know it for a fact), were Syrian researchers. Not Iranian. Assassination is unethical and leands no credibility to Israel. Just remember that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and don't go squealing when the tables get turned and an Israeli or two get assassinated by a foreign power.

 

[pudly]

Why is anyone bringing up Iran? The scientists that were murdered, (ostensibly by Israel, although we don't know it for a fact), were Syrian researchers. Not Iranian. Assassination is unethical and leands no credibility to Israel. Just remember that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and don't go squealing when the tables get turned and an Israeli or two get assassinated by a foreign power.

Do you honestly think the fact that Israeli politicians and generals haven't been assassinated is due to restraint rather than security measures that make it very hard?

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

Why is anyone bringing up Iran? The scientists that were murdered, (ostensibly by Israel, although we don't know it for a fact), were Syrian researchers. Not Iranian. Assassination is unethical and leands no credibility to Israel. Just remember that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, and don't go squealing when the tables get turned and an Israeli or two get assassinated by a foreign power.

Are you saying that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin wasn't assassinated by a foreign power? That ship has sailed!

 

[Thor]

Armed conflict is the ultimate political discussion.

If a man is standing outside your house lighting a Molotov cocktail do you wait until he throws it or shoot him where he stands before your house is immolated? I think I'd shoot him first. Don't see much difference here.

These people have pledged the destruction of a neighbor because they disagree with them on a religious basis. They are working actively to destroy them. I don't see any rational actor saying they should stand down and elect to receive. Those who do tend to be looking at it from a who they are perspective not a what is happening one. IF they did order these assassinations then it is one step short of declared war.

As Clausewitz noted, if you dull your swords in the name of humanity someone will come along with a sharp sword and cut your arms off (paraphrase).

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

When it comes to the Middle East politics plays little in what they do. It comes from a higher authority. That's right! Jello!!!

 

[88GT]

Then you misunderstand the word 'political' - every war in history is political. Every action undertaken by a State is political. But since you and others seem so hung up on that particular word, is it fine to assassinate our enemies? Forget the body politic, is it justifiable to pre-emptively assassinate those who wish us ill?

It's all well and good to take the high road, but at some point doing so is foolish and dangerous.

I think it is immoral NOT to take action.

 

[patience0830]

Political enemies? Since when is being an active supplier of terrorist financing and weapons, development of long-range missiles and working towards nuclear annihilation political and not warfare?

Ever heard of nuclear diplomacy? We applied it with Japan. It should be applied to the middle east in lavish quantities. Only way the conflict there will ever end. And then it'd only be temporary.