From: jars@milton.u.washington.edu (Juan Rodriguez-Sero)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic,soc.culture.latin-america,soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: Re: About the explosion
Date: 7 Apr 92 03:32:20 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Apr6.151301.14328@en.ecn.purdue.edu> souissi@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Ridha Souissi) writes:
>In article <1992Apr3.172511.28017@u.washington.edu> jars@milton.u.washington.edu (Juan Rodriguez-Sero) writes:
>>when en embassy in a densely populated neighborhood is target-
>>ted, all the neighbors are targetted too; they were all targetted just
>>because some Israeli diplomats (who were NOT, I stress this, a legit-
>>imate target; diplomats never are such) might (or might not) be in the
>
>An embassador is a representive of a country and supports the actions
>of that country, therefore he may be a ligitimate target.  If he
>doesn't agree with the policies and practicies of his countries, he
>could resign.  I don't see the difference between targeting the
>president of a country and his ambassador somewhere.

I see; you don't see the difference either. What does diplomacy mean
to you? By general agreement between national states, diplomats and
journalists are NEVER legitimate targets; to attack them goes against
the laws of war and the Geneva and The Hague Conventions. Diplomats
don't represent their Presidents, they represent their nations; and
they do so by peaceful means. Let me stress that this difference was
seen clearly by the local PLO office in Argentina, which clearlly and
immediately condemned the outrage in most forceful terms.

>>area. If there is a day care center just across the stree from the embas-
>>sy, and a seniors' home beside it, any normal six-year old can foresee
>>that many of those seniors and children are going to die in the explosion
>>(as they did). If I wanted to kill somebody, I would not do it with a 
>>flame thrower or a hand grenade in a crowded place, I would use a more
>>focused weapon, in a safer spot (they had the whole planet to choose
>>their "theater of operations"); the bombing of the embassy was done by
>>people who: a) Did not care for the very concept of diplomacy (if they
>>did, they would not have targetted an embassy); and b) did not care at
>>all for any bystanders (of whom about twenty were killed and two hundred
>
>Disagree on a), agree on b) (see above)

Again, think well about the meaning of the word "diplomacy".

>>wuounded). This is inexcusable; this is not an act of war, it is a crime.
>>If it is part of a war, then it is a war crime. The criminals who com-
>>mitted it should be punished, promptly and severely; they are a disgrace
>>for the Arab side they purport to support, and which they objectively
>>disgraced. 
>>
>
>Bush and company should be tried for war crimes 

You lose completely any possible authority to say so if you don't make
a similar statement about the murder of diplomats and innocent civilians
in Buenos Aires. Why is it so hard for you guys to come forward and
cleanly and clearly repudiate the mass murder at the Israeli embassy in
Buenos Aires? As long as you don't, your side won't get any sympathy
or support, at least not in ARgentina or from Argentinians. You'll pro-
baly say you don't care; I wouldn't be surprised. It is clear you don't
care for us at all. Do you really care for any human beings besides
your own little group?


Juan Antonio Rodriguez-Sero     | Those who have long enjoyed
School of Oceanography          | such privileges as we enjoy
University of Washington, WB-10 | forget in time that
Seattle, WA 98195               | men have died to win them.
jars@ocean.washington.edu       |
(206) 543 - 7003 (work)         |      Franklin D. Roosevelt