By TERRY GOLDMAN
Los Alamos

I am happy to know that Jody Benson is not anti-semitic (link) and that she is opposed to the terrible destruction and death in Gaza. Please allow me to make three points and recall some history before concluding.

First, let me ask what she would consider an allowed response if 9/11 had resulted in over 40,000 American deaths rather than the reported over 3,000? That (very) roughly corresponds to the death to total population ratio for Israel on October 7, 2023.

Second, I must point out that the term genocide, before its now widespread use, referred to deliberate mass murder of 90% of a population consisting only of civilians with no relation to military concerns. 

Finally, I must ask her what solution she has in mind to the depredations of a terrorist group that deliberately hides behind civilians to protect themselves from counter-attack. I am sorry to have to acknowledge that I have no idea myself how to deal with the conundrum of the rules of war being used to military advantage whatever the cost to civilians. 

And a bit of history: Before (European) war became `civilized’, invading armies pillaged, raped and murdered as part of an invasion. These terrible costs to all led to agreement that armies would meet on a field of battle and the country whose army that lost would accept defeat and subjugation. Sort of like a more violent football game. Civilians were to be spared to the maximum extent possible. This lasted — to some extent — through WWI. In WWII, all sides fully returned to the ancient ways of destroying civilians and infrastructure as well as armies, navies and air forces. We see the same behavior by Russia in Ukraine. 

What is happening in Gaza is, in my opinion, a horrible twist of all this where `civilized’ war is not capable of producing peace. Further, means to protect civilians as much as possible, such as directing civilians to leave areas where conflict will be intense, enable the terrorists to prepare and avoid the areas themselves, prolonging the conflict. Not to mention the agreed uncivilized action of holding hostages. Try imagining our American response had that also been done on 9/11.