Blair the hypocrite

[johnlambert]

Al Qaeda's Abu al Zarqawi was killed in an air raid earlier today, this odious creep's death was welcomed by amongst others our Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Given that this Zarqawi was a cold blooded murderer (he liked to personally behead western captives in Iraq), he effectivley had a death sentence carried out against him, shouldnt we have the death penalty re instated in Britain as whats good for the goose etc

[Haggisdj]

I stand by everything I wrote...

[gessoo]

So it's fine to kill innocent children, in case they grow up to be criminals then? Well then, lets just wipe everybody out sraight away. I can't believe your postings Haggisdj

[noxlumos]

so since almost anyone could grow up to be anything why don't I just come and shoot your kids haggis in case they grow up and become mass murderers?

I don't care what anyone's views are if they are well thought out but where's your justification for such a sweeping and stupid remark?

[DavidUK]

No to the death penalty and I support completely the opinions expressed by Dom Tuk and gessoo. I can sympathise with your anger Dom.

Just out of interest, johnlambert, what evidence is there that Zarqawi was a "cold blooded murderer" (like Bush & Blair then!) and that he "personally beheaded western captives"? And I wonder if the crucial word there is "western".

When Bush & Blair authorise bombing that kills innocent people is that OK because they don't do it "personally" and the victims aren't "western"?

[jake-the-peg]

I guess commanding armies comes with difficult choices.

Putting aside the rights and wrongs of our presence in Iraq, it rather comes down to the old moral question of how many innocent lives you are willing to sacrifice to save more innocent lives.

Would it be right to have murdered Hitler in the thirties? If so how many innocent lives would you sacrifice to achieve this?

This is a classic question and I guess there's no right answer.

Personally I feel satisfied that far more lives were saved than lost yesterday which satisfies my concience, although I can well understand the opinions of those who disagree with the justification.

[newtron]

I agree with jake-the-peg. Unfortunately, the death of innocent civillians is a side effect of war. Hopefully, both sides will try to minimise these deaths, but they will happen. I can understand that this might be more difficult to accept if you don't agree with the war in the first place (I've been againts the ware since day one). Also, because Zarqawi was killed in the war, I don't think you can compare it to an execution in order to argue for or against the death penalty. I too feel that more lives were saved than lost with the death of Zarqawi, but I also feel bad that innocent lives were lost.

[geo0939]

I often wonder if anyone has worked out just how much has been lost since Blair, Bush et al invaded Iraq. I'm talking about lives, homes, essential services, water, power, employment etc: If this could be calculated against the same period of time before the invasion, I'm sure the result would surprise no-one. When,(if) foreign troops finally leave this country there will be an even longer period of time before anything approaching normality will be achieved. The only answer is to get these troops out NOW. In any event, there will be no winners, we are all losers. So don't get too excited about one terrorist being killed, there are millions more.

[mata hari]

Does anyone else find it nauseating in the extreme that the news channels who report about Zarquari always have a picture of him on the big screen holding a huge gun, and show a video of him shooting that gun?(ITV 2pm today!) That wont do much to make his vile terrorist groups feel downhearted, nay, I think it will do just the opposite!! Why don't they just show the "dead" photo? Your thoughts?

[Lonnie]

In my previous answer, I was only commenting on the death penalty for this country, and I stand by that, however, I do find myself agreeing with Doms arguements.

'Todays terrorist is tomorrows Goverment', just thought i'd put that in, and there's some truth in it,

[Lonnie]

Continued, -------- Especially in the Middle East.

[Dom Tuk]

Haggisdj...the israelis shot and killed palestinian children on a beach in gaza yesterday....cold blood too....bet they would have all turned out to be stone throwing hippies.

[maxximus]

i was going to jump in for a little rant, but i see dom tuk and noxlumus have covered it very nicely!!