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"Targeted Killing" of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

(Yahoo News) Alan Dershowitz - The long overdue killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was brought about by a "targeted killing." This is the same technique that has been repeatedly condemned by the international community when Israel has employed it against terrorists who have murdered innocent Jews. When Israel targeted the two previous heads of Hamas, the British foreign secretary said: "targeted killings of this kind are unlawful and unjustified." Now Great Britain is applauding the targeted killing of a terrorist who endangered its soldiers and citizens. There is no real difference between Zarqawi and terrorist leaders from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. When the U.S. and British forces have engaged in targeted killings of terrorists, there have often been collateral deaths of non-terrorists. Collateral deaths are inevitable when terrorists hide among civilians and use them as shields. Both Israel and the U.S. make great efforts to reduce the number of collateral deaths and injuries but they do not always succeed. All decent people must insist on a single standard of judging tactics such as targeted killing. It is nothing short of bigotry to approve this tactic when used by the U.S. and Great Britain but to condemn it when it is used by Israel.
2006-06-12 00:00:00
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