Reply #32: I think it's the spirit of the definition that's important here -

[Josh]

the original poster was saying words to the effect of, "Rather than saying, 'this might turn into another Holocaust', I say, 'it already IS a second holocaust.'"

So here's my point: if we're going to say that the ONE event that we can all agree on as a "Holocaust" was the massive Nazi exterminations of the 1930s and 40s, then I think considering what is happening now in Iraq as a candidate for only the second RECOGNISED "Holocaust" does a fairly massive disservice to those who died in the Nazi Germany Holocaust.

Furthermore if we are going to look for candidates for a Second Holocaust, I think there are more horrific and terrifying and destructive events that would qualify, such as some of the work inflicted by regimes over the years in Cambodia, Rwanda, and other places that we often ignore.

I get that what's happening in Iraq is awful, but I don't think it's the second worst humanitarian extermination on record, regardless of the "massive slaughter" that is going on.