Originally Posted by
BANANASBANANAS
So, the question to be asked is 'when does a defensive response become a pre emptive strike?' If we have proof positive that the Russians are about to start pressing big red buttons, is that not, in itself, the first action in a pre emptive strike by Russia and are we not therefore exercising our defensive philosophy by 'dealing with' (responding to) a known and imminent Russian pre emptive strike while the WMD are is still in Russian territory? Why do we have to wait until thousands of innocents have been slaughtered in the west before we can start defending those that are still alive?
Yes, exactly. If there is a genuinely held belief that an attack is imminent, and the only way to prevent that attack is to strike with the first weapons available, it is permitted under the law of self defence. I had this argument with Army lawyers in Basra, when the mortar teams were assembling and I had a Tornado in the over-head. The Basra-based Army lawyer delayed the attack until the mortars were fired, resulting deaths at Basra, and by the time the Tornado re-positioned, the mortar teams had disappeared.to strike another day. The lawyer had to explain his decision to the AOC in Al Udeid and went away properly educated.