What constitutes mercy? Under what circumstances does mercy become an ill-afforded luxury? Is there intrinsic value in sacrificing soldiers in order to retain a moral imperative? Does that value persist if exercising mercy may prolong the combat and prevent an immediate peaceable solution, post conflict? These two posts on Weekend Pundit and The Truth Laid […]
Posted on March 27th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Philosophy, Politics | Comments Off on Mercy
Steven Den Beste recently suggested guidelines for reacting to news reports on the war: For any of the following reports, allow at least six hours before you even begin to take them seriously: Any report of a Scud The first three reports of mass casualties by anyone For these, wait 12 hours: Any report of […]
Posted on March 24th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | Comments Off on Den Beste’s Law
In the end, I suspect the truly definitive question regarding the War on Iraq will revolve around the Turkish invasion and the US response to it. I have sent out questions to several trusted correspondents and bloggers requesting input. Nonetheless, my feeling is that this will define the ultimate outcome of the current hostilities. Will […]
Posted on March 21st, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Present | Comments Off on Predictions (Always A Bad Idea)
I remember the drums. Sometimes they were actual percussion instruments, beating out a rhythmic call to arms. Others were more metaphorical, shouted out from criers, or pulpits, or newspapers, but always- drums. War is an entirely human enterprise and it serves a valuable function in a purely Darwinian sense: both individually and in summation it […]
Posted on March 18th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Present | 2 Comments »
The rolling and tumbling tore me from frigid oblivion and I gagged as seawater sprayed from my throat, burning in my sinuses. Again the waves tossed me against hard sand and this time my hands dug in, holding me against the backwash as water retreated from the beach. Sick, trembling I pulled myself up the […]
Posted on March 14th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Past | 2 Comments »
I have noted several times that I dislike the concentration on politics that has overtaken this project nearly from its opening day. After posting earlier today I found myself decidedly displeased with myself for having dipped in to the well of such commentary yet again. It is not that I feel political discourse is beneath […]
Posted on March 10th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: The Present | Comments Off on My Own Desires
I am not a terribly political animal, despite the apparent leanings of my writings to this point. It is the times, I suppose. Now I find myself considering what the post-UN world will look like. I still suspect that the United States and the United Kingdom have some hope of prevailing in the UNSC; however, […]
Posted on March 10th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Post-UN World
There is a thought I have run across once or twice in the past several months that seems to be missing from the general debate regarding the upcoming war to remove the current Ba’athist regime in Iraq. This is simultaneously disturbing and understandable. Disturbing in that it appears rather simple and straightforward to me. Understandable […]
Posted on March 6th, 2003 by Zsallia
Filed under: Politics | 4 Comments »