> Eh, why do you think Iran is responsible for these deaths and not the US? Because that was how I phrased the hypothetical. > Threats and disagreements are b

> Eh, why do you think Iran is responsible for these deaths and not the US? Because that was how I phrased the hypothetical. > Threats and disagreements are between the rulers of both countries, why on the earth should civilians be somehow involved and the slaughter be justified? Because in the hypothetical retaliatory force was being used to defend US citizens---something I believe is moral and which the guy I was talking to seems to agree with. I don't think you are in agreement so I don't think we can progress at this point in the discussion. We would have to backtrack first to talking about retaliatory vs. initiatory force. That is too much to bite of in an HN comment discussion. As a side note, you could switch the names of the countries, it doesn't matter.