What is a "civilian'
Today it appears that Paul M. Johnson was beheaded by "Al-Qaida Militants.' Many people are very disgusted by this and understandably so. However once one has gotten over the queasiness of beheading we need to realize something. Mr/. Johnson worked for Lockheed-Martin. Lockheed Martin is one of the largest defense contractors in America ( if not the world). It supplies the US with the infamous Apache helicopter such as those used to kill Iraqis. Furthermore, Mr. Johnson worked directly on this killing machine and is therefore, by US definition, indirectly responsible for any and all killing done with that machine. He aides and abets the US Military. In other words He is no civilian as say you and I ( maybe) who have no contact with the military other than our taxes (and that right there is another debate). The "Al-Qaida militants" even made this very statement:
quote:
"Let him taste something from what Muslims tasted who were long reached by Apache helicopter fire and missiles," the statement said, according to the A.P.
Mr. Johnson, 49, worked in Saudi Arabia for the past decade in cooperation with Lockheed Martin on the Apache helicopter.
You really can't argue with that logic. We have seen it in Palestine and Iraq and elsewhere. Who knows if the missile that has killed many a Palestinian was not in fact worked on by Mr. Johnson.
"But" you may say, "HE wasn't in the military." That is true but one must realize that the US has involved many private "enterprises" to do work that the military would do. Simply because an organization falls outside the Armed Services does not make the people in it civilians. If you want protection as a civilian I suggest not working for a company that does work on military projects and be careful of where you relocate. After all, we are expected to not have any sympathy for those that help terrorists and in a reversal of fortune Mr. Johnson, seen as a terrorist by others has been caught up. Perhaps the people of the US will stop ego tripping and understand that this is not some game and there are better solutions to what is going on.
Links:
http://nytimes.com/2004/06/18/international/middle-east/18CND-SAUDI.html?hp
(17 years of informed commentary)
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