Reply #78: International terrorism can't be reasoned with.

[JHBowden]

In addition, terrorist organizations are not states per se, so the rule of law by definition does not apply to them. Whether one trusts a leader or not has little bearing on how we treat an international terrorist organization.

Additionally, international terrorists obviously employ terror to obtain their political objectives, not war. If war is understood to mean a conflict between nation-states, it has little to do with it if a nation-state is not a sponsor of terrorism. While terrorists will never wage war against American civilians, they will remain capable of killing a lot of Americans, Israelis, Spaniards, et cetera if their organizations are not dismantled. If Israel wants to destroy the leadership of Hamas, more power to them.

I did not support the war in Iraq. To be explicit for the "critical thinkers," I also do not advocate launching wars against Germany, France, et cetera.