The fallacy of "disproportionate response"

This morning's top news:

Egypt says Israel using excessive force in Gaza

"Israel is using excessive force against the Palestinians in Gaza; this must stop," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Tuesday.

"Israel is bombarding civilians without distinction," he said during a joint press conference in Cairo with his American counterpart Condoleezza Rice, who is expected to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

While Secretary of State Rice asserted Israel's right to defend itself, stated that Hamas was to blame for the escalation in Gaza and demanded that they end their rocket attacks on Israel, she did't demand a ceasefire, and then issued the usual platitudes about humanitarian situation,

adding that Israel must make every effort so as not to harm the civilian population there.

It's a shame that Sec. Rice hasn't figured out yet that Hamas and Hezbollah have been firing their rockets from civilian residences.

All of these calls on Israel to cease its "excessive force" and its "disproportionate response" against Hamas, Hezbollah, or whichever other enemy boils down to one thing: a call to genocide. Siggy explains,

While the UN and much of Europe wring their hands at the heavy Israeli response to rocket fire by the Palestinians into Israel, there is talk of 'disproportionate response.'

There is no such thing as a 'disproportionate response' to calls for genocide. All conflicts end with 'disproportionate response.'

The Israelis are entitled to defend themselves from those who openly or not so openly call for their annihilation.

Peace among nations is arrived at when the cost of war becomes overwhelming.

Racism, bigotry and hate are overcome when the cost of racism, bigotry and hate becomes too great for society to bear.

As long as nations and peoples perceive the cost of war as acceptable, then we will have war.

When the cost of slaughtering Jews as 'business as usual' becomes to high for the Palestinians to bear, they will respond appropriately.

The rest, as they say, is academic.



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