Killing Castro
Bob Clasen posting a dialogue:
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Richard started with this response to my Good Terrorism posting:
Before she left office last month, the former president of Panama released 4 men of Cuban origen (who had moved to Miami) who had been conviced of tryingto assasinate Fidel Castro 2 years ago in Panama. I'm no fan of Castro,
but rogue groups trying to asssasinate a head of state (whether we like him
or not) has to qualify as terrorism.
(One of the men who was released had been convicted earlier for blowing
up a Cuban commercial airplane in the 1970-s, killing all on board. Convicted
bya court in Venezuela, and in jail in Venezuela. He managed to get out
butthat's another story.)
Three of the four went home to a heros' welcome in Miami. (Whereabouts
Of the fourth was misterious.) Not a word of criticism from Bush OR Kerry.
Bush changed plans to go to Miami for a campaign event to coincide with the
return of the three.
Were the four good terrorists?
_______________________________________________________
Bob evaded by answering a question with a question:
How would you feel about the assassination of Pol Pot or Stalin or
Hitler?
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Richard is not going for it:
Bob: You pick some truly heinous examples -- Pol Pot & Stalin. In matters of public policy (as in other areas of life), it's usually a bad idea to have a policy of "always" or "never", so let's focus on my example. I don't see how you can justify an attempt to assasinate Fidel Casto in 2002? If you do, please explain.
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Bob Answers:
Castro is a Communist who holds power over his countryman solely by means of force. Dissent is not tolerated. Dissenters are either imprisoned or killed. There is only one party so elections are a fraud. Castro lives by the sword. He who lives by the sword may die by the sword.
If some of the imprisoned Cubans wish to free themselves by another revolution, to set up a democratic government that tolerates dissent and respects human rights, who am I to object? If I was a citizen of Cuba and had the opportunity to kill Castro, I would do it.
Do not slaves have the right to rise up against their slaveholder and fight for freedom?
I think killing a dictator is an entirely different thing than killing innocent civilians, which was the definition of "terrorism" originally proposed to start this discussion.
______________________
____________________________
Richard started with this response to my Good Terrorism posting:
Before she left office last month, the former president of Panama released 4 men of Cuban origen (who had moved to Miami) who had been conviced of tryingto assasinate Fidel Castro 2 years ago in Panama. I'm no fan of Castro,
but rogue groups trying to asssasinate a head of state (whether we like him
or not) has to qualify as terrorism.
(One of the men who was released had been convicted earlier for blowing
up a Cuban commercial airplane in the 1970-s, killing all on board. Convicted
bya court in Venezuela, and in jail in Venezuela. He managed to get out
butthat's another story.)
Three of the four went home to a heros' welcome in Miami. (Whereabouts
Of the fourth was misterious.) Not a word of criticism from Bush OR Kerry.
Bush changed plans to go to Miami for a campaign event to coincide with the
return of the three.
Were the four good terrorists?
_______________________________________________________
Bob evaded by answering a question with a question:
How would you feel about the assassination of Pol Pot or Stalin or
Hitler?
_______________________________________________________
Richard is not going for it:
Bob: You pick some truly heinous examples -- Pol Pot & Stalin. In matters of public policy (as in other areas of life), it's usually a bad idea to have a policy of "always" or "never", so let's focus on my example. I don't see how you can justify an attempt to assasinate Fidel Casto in 2002? If you do, please explain.
____________________
Bob Answers:
Castro is a Communist who holds power over his countryman solely by means of force. Dissent is not tolerated. Dissenters are either imprisoned or killed. There is only one party so elections are a fraud. Castro lives by the sword. He who lives by the sword may die by the sword.
If some of the imprisoned Cubans wish to free themselves by another revolution, to set up a democratic government that tolerates dissent and respects human rights, who am I to object? If I was a citizen of Cuba and had the opportunity to kill Castro, I would do it.
Do not slaves have the right to rise up against their slaveholder and fight for freedom?
I think killing a dictator is an entirely different thing than killing innocent civilians, which was the definition of "terrorism" originally proposed to start this discussion.
______________________
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