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From: john@cisden.UUCP (John Woolley)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Terrorism
Message-ID: <323@cisden.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Dec-85 14:51:00 EST
Article-I.D.: cisden.323
Posted: Tue Dec 17 14:51:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 21:57:51 EST
References: <1699@decwrl.UUCP> <11215@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: john@cisden.UUCP (John Woolley)
Organization: ConTel Information Systems, Denver
Lines: 32

>>     Terrorism = attacking of civilian population not directly
>>               involved in a war effort.
>
>The problem I see with this definition is that the current
>theory of war as I understand it includes attacks on the civilian
>population as an integral part. The idea is that by attacking
>the civilian population you induce demoralization and contribute
>to the breakdown of the society as a whole.
>
>This doctrine was practiced extensively by both sides in WWII.

>Anyway, terrorizing the civilian population is accepted in
>the theory of war as a means towards destruction of the
>enemy. 

It may be of interest to point out that Catholic moralists have
NEVER accepted terror against civilian populations as a legitimate
way of prosecuting a war.  You may be permitted to take actions
that incidentally will result in civilian casualties, but to 
deliberately attack non-combatants (as the US did to Japan and
Germany, or Germany to the UK) is always wrong, even if done for
nice motives, such as the destruction of Hitlerism.

So the "current theory of war" referred to is in direct opposition
to the traditional theories of war ("doctrine of just war"), that
were current in Europe since the end of antiquity.  I think the
old rules are far better than our modern ones.
-- 
				Peace and Good!,
				    (Fr.) John Woolley
"Quid enim sunt servi Dei nisi quidem joculatores ejus, qui corda hominum
erigere debent et movere ad laetitiam spiritualem?" -- S. Franciscus