Tuesday, 2 January 2018

Prof. Robert Ayson explains why mass killings by our side is okay

Leading thinker explains why mass killings by our side is okay:
“The difference is not in the NUMBERS, it’s in the INTENTIONS.”

The Panel, RNZ National, Wednesday 18 November 2015
Jim Mora, Jock Anderson, Ellen Read, Zara Potts, Jesse Mulligan
depravity n. 1. Moral corruption or degradation. 2. A depraved act or condition. 3. Wickedness.
JIM MORA: … And just ahead of Zara, our one—I was gonna say THREE Quick Questions, actually, but they ARE quick —-
ZARA POTTS: [mirthlessly] Ah, ha ha ha.
JIM MORA: Ahhh, the first one: “The killing of, ahhh, innocent civilians in Paris and above the Sinai in a Russian plane are unforgivable atrocities, but do we have an estimate of how many innocent civilians have been killed by American drone strikes in various countries and how many in other military and quasi-military actions around the world?”—William, from Waipara. Robert Ayson—Professor Robert Ayson—ahhh, from Strategic Studies at Victoria University.
PROFESSOR ROBERT AYSON: [speaking slowly to convey how serious and thoughtful he is] The difference is not in the NUMBERS, it’s in the INTENTIONS. The drone attacks are not designed to kill innocent civilians. That’s not to say that civilians are unaffected; one study has estimated that more than two thousand four hundred people have been killed in U.S. drone strikes during the Obama administration, and of these over three hundred have been civilians. But the terrorism in Paris and in the case of the Russian plane over the Sinai is qualitatively different; it reflects a clear intention to target and kill innocent civilians, to cause great shock and fear, and then to affect political decisions.
JIM MORA: Professor Robert Ayson. [brightening up] Second question: “At the moment we have two alternative national flags for New Zealand vessels, the red ensign for merchant ships and for use in places or on occasions of Maori significance, and the white ensign for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Will there be similar alternatives if a new flag is selected, and if so, what? Has in fact this matter been considered by the Flag Consideration Panel?”—Larry Robins. Ahhh, Suzanne Stevenson speaking for the Flag Consideration Project…..
….ad nauseam….
  • tc1.1
    Ahh I see the banality has given way to a more overt ticking of boxes now with the carefully chosen ‘panel’ of predictable themes.
    Validate western actions, check. Promote flag, check……..thanks morrissey for keeping us updated on the decline of broadcasting.
    • Morrissey1.1.1
      And it was dealt with in the “One Quick Question” feature, which never has any follow-up. Mora—or more likely his producer—made sure that it would not be dealt with any further by burying it with two more “Quick Questions”.
      In spite of that deliberate attempt to stymie any further discussion, if even one of the Panelists had any moral fibre, or gumption, he or she would have contested Professor Ayson’s horrifying little homily.
      • savenz1.1.1.1
        +1 Morrissey
        • Grindlebottom1.1.1.1.1
          These sorts of comments by prof Ayson, Western coalitions, Russia, and others engaged in bombing and wars around the globe implying the families and compatriots of thousands of civilians killed as “collateral damage” should somehow regard those killings as unfortunate, qualitatively different, and in no way warranting any kind of reciprocal response, are just bizarre.
          We never get to hear about the real numbers of innocent people killed by these “great powers” but those who live there all know the situation. Of course some of them will seek vengeance. The righteousness of seeking vengeance is the very example their attackers keep giving them!
  • North1.2
    Professor Ayson – “That’s not to say that civilians are unaffected”.
    Hmmm ……. ” Following the drone attack 27 villagers were found ‘not unaffected’ in the rubble. In accordance with local custom their bodies will……”
    And closer to home…….” The father of three who was airlifted to Whangarei Base Hospital was ‘not unaffected’ on arrival “.
    Classy…….Professor.
  • Crashcart1.3
    This guy has drunk the Sam Harris cool aid.
    Intentions are a matter of perspective.
    The US would say that they don’t intend to do evil things. They bomb a funeral hoping to get some terrorists knowing that civilians will die or a hospital but it is not their intent to do an evil deed.
    Russians don’t think their actions are evil. They are supporting what they see as an ally and bombing what they see as terrorists. For any one to try and make a distiction between the US actions and Russian is a sure sign of dishonesty.
    Muslim extreemists don’t think they are evil either. They believe that what they are doing is in defence of their religion and that it is the only way to take the fight to those who they see as oppressing them and killing them back home.
    All of them do horrible things and the way they can do that is by justifying it to themselves is that its for the greater good. Intentions is the most redicuolous reason to try and distinguish one from the others.
      • Seeking answers from Professor Ayson
        Thursday 19 November 2015
        Jim Mora’s producers made sure that there would be no chance for the Panelists to debate with the VUW Strategic Studies professor Professor Ayson yesterday.
        http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19112015/#comment-1097870
        This bothered me, as I found Professor Ayson’s comments to be profoundly disturbing. Unlike Jim Mora, his producers and the four other silent people in that studio yesterday, I don’t think anyone, leave alone a university professor, should be allowed to make such statements without having to defend or explain them.
        I have, therefore, just sent the following email to Robert Ayson. I’ll publish his response when it comes in….
        Some questions about your statements on RNZ National yesterday afternoon
        Dear Professor Ayson,
        Yesterday on RNZ National, you claimed that the terrorism in Paris and above the Sinai “reflects a clear intention to target and kill innocent civilians, to cause great shock and fear”. You also stated that when “the West” kills innocent civilians, it is “qualitatively different”.
        Could you please explain how you would categorize the intentions of the United States’ strategists when they decided to attack hospitals and kill patients and medical staff, as in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 and Kunduz, Afghanistan just last month.
        Thank you for your time,
        Morrissey Breen
        Northcote Point
      • Morrissey11
        Professor Ayson replies
        Thursday 19 November 2015
        Dear Morrissey
        Thanks for your email. If you have information which shows that the United States was deliberately targeting medical staff and innocent patients I would be interested to see it. I don’t believe that is what they are intending, and I think this makes the comparison with the Paris terrorism problemmatic. But those in the US and similar countries who are making decisions about the use of force and the armed forces personnel who undertake these attacks can and do get targeting wrong, and in seeking to target people and groups they believe to be in particular locations they sometimes make poor judgements about the wider consequences.
        regards
        Rob
        • Sabine11.1
          so his excuse is simply that as long as the US and its allies proclaim innosence and lack of knowledge in finding their targets it make the killing more human and less murderous?
          Good one.
          So next time the terrorists just simply state that their suicide drivers drove to the wrong establishment, and oops its ok, cause no harm was intended there.
          • Morrissey11.1.1
            I replied thusly…
            Dear Professor Ayson,
            The United States military was repeatedly given the coordinates of Kunduz Hospital. They didn’t get their targeting wrong.
            When they “conquered” Fallujah General Hospital in November 2004, U.S. troops tied up doctors and nurses, and forced patients out of their beds, before also tying them up. Again, that doesn’t seem like getting their targeting wrong.
            Yours sincerely,
            Morrissey Breen


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