Omar Kusturica wrote: "Also, to say that ethical difference between acts cannot be established on the basis of who is committing them does not mean that there cannot be other pertinent ethical distinctions." Torture and murder are legal terms. However, you deny the significance of the rule of law in making ethical distinctions.* Having denied the rule of law, you also deny the grounds for making ethical distinctions. You have made judgments based on acting. According to you, Al-Zarqawi is morally superior to Eric because Al-Zarqawi acted. But US soldiers are also acting, just against the side you sympathize with. The only grounds for distinguishing these acts is your sympathies. So, drop the talk of morality and just acknowledge that you prefer the actions of Al Zarqawi because you sympathize with his beliefs. And instead of whinging about the morality of invading Iraq, just admit that you are cheering for the insurgency. As I said, have the courage of your convictions and admit you are opposed to the US adventure in Iraq because you are sympathetic to Al Zarqawi's ilk. *I think this bit nicely summarizes Omar's position regarding the significance of the rule of law. Conventions, on the other hand, are made, in my opinion, by the weaklings who form the majority of mankind. They establish them and apportion praise and blame with an eye to themselves and their own interests, and in an endeavour to frighten those who are stronger and capable of getting the upper hand they say that ambition is base and wrong, and that wrong-doing consists in trying to gain an advantage over others; being inferior themselves, they are content, no doubt, if they can stand on an equal footing with their betters. That is why by convention an attempt to gain an advantage over the majority is said to be wrong and base, and men call it criminal; nature, on the other hand, demonstrates that it is right that the better man should prevail over the worse and the stronger over the weaker. (Callicles in Plato's _Gorgias_) Sincerely, Phil Enns Toronto, ON ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html