Perspective on Military Murder and Mission

Perspective on Military Murder and the Mission at Hand

Nicholas Johnson
Guest Opinion
Iowa City Press-Citizen
July 2, 2006

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Murder is wrong, whether during wars abroad or breaches of the peace at home.

Moreover, as Israeli soldier Haim Watzman writes in the New York Times, "morality in combat is not just an abstract principle. It is an element of an army's strength" ("Hiding Behind the Enemy," June 22, 2006).

So it's hard to defend the alleged actions of the eight soldiers charged with murdering an Iraqi civilian -- and then lying about it. But that doesn't preclude a little perspective.

Click here to read the rest of the column -- and link to the sources in the footnotes of supporting material.