Israel can never be defending itself. It is a colonial power, so by definition every military action it makes toward the indigenous population is an act of aggression. The Spaniards were never defending themselves from the indigenous people of Hispaniola. The Spaniards slaughtered them until a few of them fought back. However, when those natives fought back, that did not put Spain on defense. Spain was always on the offense because it was the colonial power in the region. So every single attack by native people against the Spanish was an act of defense, regardless of whether these attacks were effective or pragmatic. American settlers were never defending themselves from the Native Americans. Yes, natives did attack them and violence against civilians is always wrong, but those attacks against American settlers were defensive in nature, given the fact that the US was on the offense. I think it was wrong for the natives to kill women and children in American settlements, but those actions were still defensive by definition of the word defense. The indigenous population is always on the defense. The colonial power is always on offense. When Haiti declared independence, it forced the French out. This was an act of defense. The Haitians were the oppressed class rebelling against their colonial rulers. Perhaps some people may think it was wrong of them to murder the French, but regardless, it was an act of defense. In that situation, the French could never be defending themselves from the Haitians because the French were on the offense. Haiti simply won a defensive battle. Now, when someone says that Hamas is the aggressor and Israel is defending itself, that ignores the entire power dynamic in the region. It ignores the fact that the people of Gaza are refugees who were huddled together into a tiny little seaside ghetto where theyre blockaded by land air and sea. The people of Gaza are always on the defense, regardless of whether some of them use defense strategies that are morally and strategically wrong. When militants shoot rockets from Gaza, theyre making the conflict worse and theyre endangering innocent lives, but those actions are still just bad defensive tactics. Gaza is on defense regardless of how you look at the conflict. Israel is on the offense. The colonial power can never be defending itself from the indigenous population. The indigenous people are the defense. John Luchs , new jersy, USA
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 09:07:41 +0000
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