h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've heard a lot of speak of this being some kind of war - I'd just like to raise a voice in opposition to that...

Start saying that this is a war, and you have to start judging the attack by wartime standards. Attacking military structures like the Pentagon is as straight down the line as you can get in wartime, while attacking places like the World Trade Centre is pretty standard practice to disrupt your enemy's production and communication. The only thing worthy of comment would be that an attack on the USA actually succeeded.

Start saying this is a war, and you have to start calling those who carried it our soldiers, and any who are captured prisoners of war. You have to think about obeying the Geneva Convention, releasing any prisoners when the war finishes, and giving them the same standards of accomodation and medical care as your own soldiers.

Start calling this a war and you have to try the 'soldiers' for war crimes, rather than for murder, and whatever this attack may have been, genocide it wasn't.

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But it's not a war, no matter what overblown rhetoric gets spouted by the politicians. And I'm sorry Mr. Blair, but you don't announce that we're at war via a rhetorical question to a bunch of reporters.

I absolutely agree.

The opportunity here is to unite all thinking people in their opposition to murder. Murder is uncivilised. It should be inhuman. It can never be justified on any scale or for any cause.

Why do I not believe the Americans will hold to this view when they wreak their revenge/retribution?

I have some difficulties in sharing Mr. Blairs readiness to stand four-square with the same New Yorkers that contributed so generously to NorAID - supporting the IRA - the murderers who planted the bombs in Warrington, the Manchester Arndale and Canary Wharf.

There can be no justification of murder. Not even calling it a "war".

Holy or Political.

Wouldn't this be a better place if we could learn to respect other people enough to allow them to exist? Or is that too much to ask?

Oh Lucinda

If we all start using words accurately, then we might see the world as it is, and we would have to admit that the emperor has no clothes...

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a human being called Ben

Could we please begin to make the distinction between the American state and American citizens? While I have a great fondness for America I have to say I think its conduct as a nation has often fallen far short of its own ideals. But to say that this in any way excuses the attacks is basically to say that every one of the victims deserved to die. Surely no truly civilised person can believe that?

I'm not really convinced that the crashing of the WTC was an act of war. It was a criminal act. If it was a war, it was an illegal target attacked by illegal means.

If we have to invade a country to get Bin Laden or members of another nation, that would be a war. I hope that if such action is necessary that we properly declare war.

I agree that murder is always illegal. That's one of the reasons that I support a declaration of war if we do have to invade. We should be above board, and set the example when it comes to the Laws of War.