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You are arguing semantics, and I’m taking the bait. You can do the same with genocide (it is what the Ottomans did to the Armenians) or terrorism (it is what th

You are arguing semantics, and I’m taking the bait. You can do the same with genocide (it is what the Ottomans did to the Armenians) or terrorism (it is what the Irish republicans did in England). But just like genocide, terrorism and apartheid the meaning has broadened outside of the initial conception and prototypical example. In every explanation and definition of carpet bombing I find online the focus is on the destruction, not the method. Yes, historical examples of carpet bombing has used unguided bombs, and the targets have been indiscriminate. However what is important is the damage and the time period. That is, the damage has to be massive, involve every part of a large area, and it has to happen progressively (as opposed to all at once; this excludes the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima). The bombing of Gaza checks every one of this criteria. What doesn’t matter is the bureaucratic process before a target is selected, whether the bomb is guided. If a military specifically targets over half of all residential building, many historic and cultural sites, civilian infrastructure, etc. runs this through lawyers, who approve the bombing, then uses precession guided bombs to destroy these targets, and does so over every area, than that is carpet bombing. And just to hammer the point home. Hamas still to this day retains the ability to fire rockets over to Israel, despite this vast damage of civilian area. However Israel is picking their target, if they indeed intend on destroying military targets, than they are certainly doing a lousy job.

richardfeynman 3y ago
Of course target selection matters, as does the existence of checks and balances associated with each strike. There is lots of destruction because Hamas built its military infrastructure in and under urban environments. Maybe this is semantics to you, but to me carpet bombing implies indiscriminate bombing, which is the opposite of what Israel has done, despite its having dropped many bombs.
- runarberg 3y ago
  The amount of residential areas being bombed seems to suggest that the bombing is indeed indiscriminate. It is hard to believe that 70-90% of all buildings in Gaza City are valid military targets. Bombings can still be indiscriminate even when you carefully select and hit each and every target. The indiscriminateness is just moved from an imprecise bomb to a non-discriminatory target selection method. But fine, don’t call this carpet bombing. Call it something else. The level of destruction is on the maps, and has been documented to be extremely severe. More severe than in any other bombing campaigns since World War 2. Perhaps this amount of destruction warrants a new name that accurately depicts the horrors of something worse than carpet bombings.
  - richardfeynman 3y ago
    It's hard to believe that the earth goes around the sun! Yes, there is lots of destruction. Yes, that's regrettable. No, that doesn't mean Israel is carpet bombing.
    - johnnyworker 3y ago
      "the Earth goes around the sun, so this is not what you see with your own eyes" is not an argument. The declared aim is to make Gaza unlivable, the actions match it. Including just turning off water, talking about human animals. And the destruction is not "regrettable", it's a despicable atrocity. And then there is the IDF just going into civilian buildings, villages, rigging them up and blowing them up, singing about moving into Gaza and all that. The idea that it's only about military targets does not hold a drop of water.
      - richardfeynman 3y ago
        The declared aim is to make Gaza unlivable? Really? Israel has stated hundreds if not thousands of times that he declared aim is to (1) destroy hamas's ability to wage war; (2) return the hostages; and (3) prevent such an attack from recurring. Yes, there have been particular government officials who've said they want to make Gaza unlivable, just as there are crazies in the US congress and senate who say things like we should nuke the middle east. In terms of the earth going around the sun, the point I was trying to make is that at first glance it does look like the sun goes around the earth, just as at first glance it looks like Israel is trying to reduce Gaza to rubble, but after careful observation and adherence to scientific thinking we learn that the earth goes around the sun -- and that Israel is not carpet bombing gaza.
        johnnyworker 3y ago
        Under the Genocide convention, Israel is obliged to prohibit and prosecute such speech. US senators aren't the standard, just like Hamas is not the standard. Besides one US senators hardly being the equivalent of hundreds of public figures, from the head of state to security and education minister, to army generals and so on. They're crazies alright, but they're not fringe, they're in charge. Those who call it out get viciously attacked, such as Ofer Cassif or Israel Frey ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKyH4jCnTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKyH4jCnTE ) And the rhetoric matches the actions of the IDF. It's not "just" the bombing, it's also just blowing up whole villages demolition style, before/after making selfies and TikToks making fun of it. Just turning off water, plowing up the asphalts of streets, etc. etc.

richardfeynman 3y ago

Of course target selection matters, as does the existence of checks and balances associated with each strike. There is lots of destruction because Hamas built its military infrastructure in and under urban environments. Maybe this is semantics to you, but to me carpet bombing implies indiscriminate bombing, which is the opposite of what Israel has done, despite its having dropped many bombs.

runarberg 3y ago
The amount of residential areas being bombed seems to suggest that the bombing is indeed indiscriminate. It is hard to believe that 70-90% of all buildings in Gaza City are valid military targets. Bombings can still be indiscriminate even when you carefully select and hit each and every target. The indiscriminateness is just moved from an imprecise bomb to a non-discriminatory target selection method. But fine, don’t call this carpet bombing. Call it something else. The level of destruction is on the maps, and has been documented to be extremely severe. More severe than in any other bombing campaigns since World War 2. Perhaps this amount of destruction warrants a new name that accurately depicts the horrors of something worse than carpet bombings.
- richardfeynman 3y ago
  It's hard to believe that the earth goes around the sun! Yes, there is lots of destruction. Yes, that's regrettable. No, that doesn't mean Israel is carpet bombing.
  - johnnyworker 3y ago
    "the Earth goes around the sun, so this is not what you see with your own eyes" is not an argument. The declared aim is to make Gaza unlivable, the actions match it. Including just turning off water, talking about human animals. And the destruction is not "regrettable", it's a despicable atrocity. And then there is the IDF just going into civilian buildings, villages, rigging them up and blowing them up, singing about moving into Gaza and all that. The idea that it's only about military targets does not hold a drop of water.
    - richardfeynman 3y ago
      The declared aim is to make Gaza unlivable? Really? Israel has stated hundreds if not thousands of times that he declared aim is to (1) destroy hamas's ability to wage war; (2) return the hostages; and (3) prevent such an attack from recurring. Yes, there have been particular government officials who've said they want to make Gaza unlivable, just as there are crazies in the US congress and senate who say things like we should nuke the middle east. In terms of the earth going around the sun, the point I was trying to make is that at first glance it does look like the sun goes around the earth, just as at first glance it looks like Israel is trying to reduce Gaza to rubble, but after careful observation and adherence to scientific thinking we learn that the earth goes around the sun -- and that Israel is not carpet bombing gaza.
      - johnnyworker 3y ago
        Under the Genocide convention, Israel is obliged to prohibit and prosecute such speech. US senators aren't the standard, just like Hamas is not the standard. Besides one US senators hardly being the equivalent of hundreds of public figures, from the head of state to security and education minister, to army generals and so on. They're crazies alright, but they're not fringe, they're in charge. Those who call it out get viciously attacked, such as Ofer Cassif or Israel Frey ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKyH4jCnTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMKyH4jCnTE ) And the rhetoric matches the actions of the IDF. It's not "just" the bombing, it's also just blowing up whole villages demolition style, before/after making selfies and TikToks making fun of it. Just turning off water, plowing up the asphalts of streets, etc. etc.