No, it doesn't answer the question at all. How is seeking a military solution (by either side) rational?
With respect, I do not find Gov'ts, especially those that follow religous absurdity, rationale. I do have solidarity with those that find this conflict, awful, distasteful, un-neccessary and cruel. It is fueled by hate. No winners in this murder fest, just murderers.
I think this is the wrong way to look at it. Self-defense is "rational" yet completely subjective, there's a contradiction there because we can find someone's reasons completely irrational despite the rationality of self-defense as a principle. Christ's command to love your neighbor and turn the other cheek is not particularly rational in that this may result in harm to you. Peacemaking is hard, war is easy. Anyways, long story short the notion of "rationality" is overrated and often a trap that results in lots of dead people. Humanism > Rationality.
wg, I was a bit aggressive and again I admire your thoughts and posts tremendously. If Gov'ts and citizens conducted themselves in intellectual and thoughtful ways, akin to many of the points you emphasize that I read, the world would be a far far, better place. Regrettably I see our own country, potentially on the cusp of an unmitigated disaster, that may be ruled by religous lunatics and a person of such incredibly bad character, that I fear for the few rights that have been so dearly won, by much blood and suffering, since 1776, and I am not just referring to the US military.
