(National Review) - Rand H. Fishbein U.S. field commanders find themselves confronting many of the same problems faced by Israel in its fight against Palestinian terrorism: soldiers disguised as civilians, weapons hidden among mosques, hospitals, and schools, child fighters, and suicide bombers. Bush administration officials have vowed to end all resistance to the U.S. presence in Iraq and to use whatever force is necessary to do so. The American attempt to subdue Iraq highlights an age-old battlefield dilemma. How far should a commander go to protect the lives of civilians when in doing so he may jeopardize the lives, morale, or tactical position of his own troops? It also begs the question: Why is there a double standard when it comes to Israel? There is little that differentiates Israel's strike at Palestinian terrorists and America's efforts to control Iraqi terrorists linked to Saddam's old regime.
2003-06-30 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive