One Man’s Terrorist is Another Man’s Freedom Fighter

The United States and Israel love to throw around the word "terrorist." It's hard to name any of our enemies whom we have not called a terrorist. I was led to believe that a terrorist was someone who killed innocent civilians for their military or political goals.

How is capturing two soldiers an act of terrorism? Are Israel's enemies not allowed to fight at all? If they have to audacity to challenge Israel in any way, do they automatically become terrorists? Why is Israel allowed to take bold and aggressive military action (let alone the US) and no one is allowed to respond? If anyone has the nerve to fight back -- terrorists!

I wonder how many of us would be "terrorists" if we were attacked and occupied by a foreign country? Was the resistance to German occupation in France during World War II a terrorist operation? (Oh no, that's right, they were on our side, so they couldn't possibly be terrorists. They were freedom fighters.)

How many civilians do you have to kill before you become a terrorist? Right now Hezbollah has claimed 17 civilian lives during their shelling of Israeli towns; Israel has claimed 350 civilian lives in their bombardment of Lebanese towns.

I'm not making a value judgment or a statement on who started it or who had it coming. I'm asking a simple question – when do you become a terrorist?

– Cenk Uygur, co-host of The Young Turks, for huffingtonpost.com

Maybe after six years the Bush administration has finally figured out that the Middle East is far more complicated than the president's walnut brain can comprehend. It's not as simple as flight suits and Fox News Alerts.

– Bob Cesca for huffingtonpost.com

Comments:

• You become a terrorist when Tony Snow or CNN says you are, facts and reasonable thought be damned.
• Only in other places are "freedom fighters" called terrorists.
• Bush is the worst "terror" monger. He gets to vacation in Crawford while all this "shit" (his own diplomatic word here) goes on. He vetoes stem cell research because he doesn't like "murder", BUT it's okay to kill people after they're already born and grown. THAT'S okay, right George? You should know– you saw hundreds on death row in your adopted state of Texas go to their deaths and you’ve seen thousands ("Oh, 30,000 give or take”) die under your watch, but throw away an unused embryo is way better than using it for research that can possible cure future diseases or human ailments. Two words for Bush....murderous hypocrite.