Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
I'm not comparing him directly to Hitler, I'm saying circumstances should not excuse acts.
If you want to justify Khadr's actions by saying it was war time, and don't believe "evil" exists within war, well, we don't share common ground on that point.
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Well, I don't think that you are actually saying that circumstances should never excuse acts (because that would be absurd). I take it that you are saying that the circumstances in this case should not excuse Mr. Khadr's acts. I agree with you that the circumstances should not entirely excuse Mr. Khadr's acts. However, I think that there are clearly significant mitigating factors.
Also, no where did I suggest that I don't believe that evil exists in war. That would be an absurd position to take. However, obviously (to me anyway) is an important contextual factor. For instance, had Mr. Khadr thrown a grenade at a soccer dad in a Toronto Walmart parking lot, I would have little difficulty characterizing that act as "evil". If he had thrown a grenade into a US military hospital in Afghanistan, I think one could make compelling arguments that it was an "evil" act.
Out of curiosity, would you characterize the actions of the US pilots who dropped bombs on Mr. Khadr's group of militants, killing several, as "evil"? What about the Delta Force soldier who shot 15 year old Mr. Khadr twice in the back?