A colleague and I were discussing war and the conversation veered towards terrorism. He quoted another colleague who had once said that whatever Islamic militants are doing is not terrorism, it is war. They don't have hi-tech war equipment like America so they use whatever they have (people, knowledge of the terrain), to their advantage. That is war. I say it still qualifies as terrorism because of the fact that they are targeting civilians. If they had aimed these tactics at the US army, I would have agreed that it is war. Heck, Shivaji used guerrilla tactics to win, and I admire him. But when innocent civilians are deliberately targeted and killed, it steps over into the territory of terrorism. I would love to engage that other colleague in a debate on this but he also happens to be my boss :(
aah. the boss is always right? atleast that's what he thinks.
ReplyDeletei agree with you though, it's definitely not war when civilians are unnecessarily and unfairly targeted. definitely terrorism.
agree 100% with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteMilitary air bombing of civilian targets is common practise in all 'wars' - think World War II onward.
ReplyDeleteMona: Yeah, the boss is always right. Wonder when I will become one. SIGH!!
ReplyDeleteDotmom: Thanks.
Anonymous: If I am not mistaken, bombing of civilian targets in a war is considered a war crime. And states conducting such raids are called "Terrorizing States". The act itself is called "State Sponsored Terrorism". Personally, I maintain that the act doesn't become justifiable just because a country has carried it out (as opposed to some indepentend faction of militants). It still remains an act of terrorism.
War is state sponsored and funded terrorism.
ReplyDeleteLumi: Yes I agree. I also like to think that if all the countries were governed by women, there wouldn't be any wars. There would be cliques! And cattiness would be the order of the day :D
ReplyDeleteBut yes, sincerely, war IS state sponsored and funded terrorism. Still, I would say a war is more "acceptable" - for the lack of a better word - (if fought within the international rules that have been set up) than terrorism.