farmdoc's blog post number 88

I subscribe to ABC Radio National’s [RN] weekly Newsletter which provides 3-4 lines about each of the coming week’s RN programs. In yesterday’s edition I saw that the 19 July 2008 The Philosopher’s Zone programme is titled ‘Damned If You Do and Damned If You Don't’, and its accompanying snippet asks ‘What happens if you're in one of those situations where you're faced with a choice and whatever you choose it's going to be a bad choice? This is what's known as a moral dilemma; but do moral dilemmas actually occur in real life?’ Yes they do. The ABC need look no further than the dire ethical dilemma Israel faced this week regarding the Goldwasser and Regev exchange. To maximise its leverage, Hezbollah wouldn’t disclose whether the two Israeli reservists were alive or dead. Israel agreed to a deal which provided, among other elements, for the release from an Israeli prison of Samil Kuntar who was serving multiple life sentences for what is widely acknowledged as one of the most brutal terrorist attacks in Israel’s history. Those, including Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, who rejoice at Kuntar’s release are repugnant savages. Israel, unlike her enemies, values human life and is ethically responsible and accountable. The Israeli cabinet members who made this morally courageous decision are heroes. My heart bleeds for the Goldwasser and Regev families.