On Wednesday, March 09, 2005, at 03:03PM, Scott Schultz <scott at cjhunter.com> wrote: >>What are your personal opinions on assassination as a means to effect >>policy by (or within) a government? > >It's morally wrong and ethically wrong. I'd say that it's ultimately bad for >the health of the government in general. The standards a government uses to >justify its actions tend to be used against it both within and without. A >government that openly used assassination as a tool of policy is one that >would tear itself apart as well as engender suspicion and mistrust among the >populace. I don't believe that Israel's policy of assassinating members of organizations that promote violence against Israelis has had this effect. To me, this policy is wrong and wrong-headed; that is, it is not likely to have the desired effect. But, it doesn't seem to have caused problems (e.g. being voted out of power) to the politicians that are the source of this policy. Any evidence that I'm wrong? Matthew