Of Just War Theory and Killing Children

Well, we've killed Bin Laden and the man reaped what he sowed. He was a guerilla leader who murdered in the dark targeting innocent people all over the world with his terrorist attacks. I'll pray for the repose of his soul today, but it's hard to shed any tears over the just punishment of a terrorist leader who was a legitimate military target.

But then there is the news out of Libya about the murder, yes I use that word deliberately, of Gaddafi's 29-year-old son and his three children, Gaddafi's grandchildren, all under the age of twelve. NATO targeted the upscale Tripoli neighborhood where they live attempting to assassinate Gaddafi who escaped unharmed. Several other people were wounded in the attack.

Since when, under just war theory, may civilian neighborhoods be targets?  To see a BBC video of a group of clergymen praying over the bodies, including the bishop of Tripoli, Giovanni Martinelli, go here.

Pray for the poor people of this warring nation. We had no business going in and there's a good chance the end result for the people of Libya will be worse than before.