# Discussion thread for the Hamas Attacks Israel thread, October 2023 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** israel-hamas-war\ **Created:** [October 9, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317 "2023-10-09T15:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 230
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4718 "2025-07-18T04:26:44Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I don’t see how. The sovcit seems to think that, upon citing something or other about law, people in power will admit that, _oh, gosh, that’s correct,_ and the law he’s referring to will be enforced. Other folks seem to think that, upon citing something or other about international law, people in power will admit that _oh, gosh, that’s correct,_ and the law being referred to will be enforced. > > Near as I can tell, they’re both wrong. In other words, you think that whenever any overriding legal authority is invoked by some claimant but isn’t actually enforced, that’s automatically equivalent to the legal authority in question being totally imaginary and not existing at all? So, for example, you think that anti-felony laws aren’t real because the convicted felon Donald Trump isn’t being penalized for the felonies he was convicted of? Only somebody with sovcit-levels of delusion would imagine that the laws that Trump violated have any actual existence? Because they’re not being enforced, so how can they be real? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4719 "2025-07-18T04:31:32Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’m indifferent. I believe that Israel should act in its best interests; if that involves Gaza never recovering, fine by me; if it involves Gaza recovering, also fine by me; destroying infrastructure, banning swimming, bringing about non existence — make the case that it’s in Israel’s best interests and I’m all ears; make the case that it isn’t, and I’m all ears. So… do you have any positions on, say, genocide or ethnic cleansing, as a matter of general principle? Is there no such thing as a wrong or unjustifiable action, in your view, as long as the action conduces to Israel’s own advantage? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4720 "2025-07-18T04:35:35Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > So, for example, you think that anti-felony laws aren’t real because the convicted felon Donald Trump isn’t being penalized for the felonies he was convicted of? Only somebody with sovcit-levels of delusion would imagine that the laws that Trump violated have any actual existence? Because they’re not being enforced, so how can they be real? I’ve noticed that many felonies _do_ get cracked down on by those in authority hereabouts — that domestic law enforcement routinely _happens_ — and that no one in authority has seemed to be in the business of international law enforcement when it comes to stopping Israel from acting as though it had carte blanche in this matter. I’d say that, if you or I were to commit a felony in full view of American law enforcement, we could reasonably expect the law to be enforced; I’d add that, if Israel were to do precisely what Israel has been doing, it could reasonably expect the non-response it’s gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4721 "2025-07-18T04:35:48Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Or else _what?_ > > Relaying that when law enforcement is involved — that’s interesting. Relaying it when nothing of the sort is set to happen — _isn’t._ It’s indistinguishable from a sovcit saying that something needs to be respected; the question isn’t whether that gets _said,_ the question is _or else what?_ …this isn’t the right thread to debate international law. It clearly and unequivocally exists. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > if that involves Gaza never recovering, fine by me Is that just Gaza you are indifferent about, or is that all countries and people? If Hamas were succeeding in their mission, and hundreds of Israelis were being killed in horrific ways every single day of the week, would you also be indifferent? Did October 7th not matter to you? Just another day? > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’d likewise recommend to those thinking of attacking Israel to consider what the response would be, and to decide whether it’s in their best interests to do so or to refrain. Is this a “might is right” argument? Or is there something special about Israel that acts as a defence for Israels occupation of Palestine and decades of blatant human right violations? Do you think Israel should just be allowed to steal Palestinian land, not only in Gaza, but the West Bank, with impunity? Do Palestinians not have a right to defend themselves? I’m not talking about October 7th which was clearly an atrocity. But just in general. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4722 "2025-07-18T04:51:00Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > no one in authority has seemed to be in the business of international law enforcement when it comes to stopping Israel from acting as though it had carte blanche in this matter. So, does international law exist when it is enforced? When the UN Security Council imposes trade embargoes or asset freezes on a country for violating some international law provision, for example, then that international law is real? Not just a sovcit-style imaginary entity? Sounds like you’re implying here that Israel vis-a-vis international law is somewhat in the position of Donald Trump vis-a-vis the felony prohibitions he transgressed. As in, yeah the laws technically exist, but if a particularly powerful actor can get away with violating them, then the laws don’t really count. While it’s certainly true that many powerful actors can violate laws with impunity, I don’t think that’s a very persuasive defense of the legitimacy of their actions. “Yeah? You and what army?” may be pragmatically effective when uttered by a powerful lawbreaker, but that doesn’t make it a valid legal justification. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4723 "2025-07-18T04:54:04Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …this isn’t the right thread to debate international law. It clearly and unequivocally exists. The question isn’t whether it _exists_; it’s whether it’s being _enforced._ If it is, what does it make sense to do? If it’s not, what does it make sense to do? I’d say it’s not being enforced, and that we ought to impliedly preface any argument about how people should act with a quick _“well, if the international law in question isn’t actually being enforced”_ before spelling out what makes sense in that context. > [@](#): > > Did October 7th not matter to you? It mattered a great deal to me. As I said, I want anyone contemplating something like unto another October 7th attack to consider what response they could reasonably expect — not from international law enforcement, that’s just crazy talk, but from the Israelis — and, I hope, realize that it’s not in their best interests to do so. > [@](#): > > Is this a “might is right” argument? I’m not saying that “might” is “right.” I’m saying that “might” is something to factor in when deciding whether this or that is in your best interests. I’m saying that, if you want to attack Israel, you should keep in mind how much “might” they’ll hit back with — and that, if Israel is deciding how much “might” to hit back with, they’ll consider how much “might” will be brought to bear against them. For example, they’ll consider how much “might” will be brought to bear against them by international law enforcement. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4724 "2025-07-18T04:56:57Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > While it’s certainly true that many powerful actors can violate laws with impunity, I don’t think that’s a very persuasive defense of the legitimacy of their actions. My point is that citing a law that can be violated with impunity _likewise_ strikes me as not being very persuasive. It doesn’t strike me as relevant. It doesn’t strike me as worth mentioning. Tell me something isn’t in Israel’s interests and I’m, uh, interested. Tell me an international law can be violated with impunity and I’m, well, _not,_ is all. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4725 "2025-07-18T05:05:51Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > and that, if Israel is deciding how much “might” to hit back with, they’ll consider how much “might” will be brought to bear against them. For example, they’ll consider how much “might” will be brought to bear against them by international law enforcement. Hmm. So, mob-boss morality: whatever you can do for your own advantage that you can realistically get away with is fine, whether or not it’s against the law, whether or not it’s ethical. Personally, I don’t think that’s an ideal system for determining which actions are permissible or justifiable, even on an international scale. I agree, however, that it seems to be the system that Israel (and, to be fair, various other nations) is operating by. And that absent international law enforcement action or other large-scale actions such as boycotts, there’s no realistic prospect of Israel changing course on the current war-crimes thing. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4726 "2025-07-18T07:31:51Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > The question isn’t whether it _exists_; …that was actually the question. I’ll take this as a concession that it _does_ exist. It isn’t something imaginary like sovereign citizens. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’d say it’s not being enforced, and that we ought to impliedly preface any argument about how people should act with a quick _“well, if the international law in question isn’t actually being enforced”_ before spelling out what makes sense in that context. You are avoiding the point. International law exists. If America chooses to ignore international law, continues to fund and support Israel even when it breaches international humanitarian law multiple times every single day, that doesn’t mean international law has no meaning. It means America is _complicit_. And if you are indifferent to violations of international humanitarian law that just means you are _indifferent to violations of international humanitarian law_. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > It mattered a great deal to me. It mattered to me as well. It was an atrocity. A war crime. Blatant and multiple breaches of international humanitarian law. I don’t care _who_ commits the crime. That shouldn’t matter at all. So why does it matter to you? Why are you indifferent when Israel commits atrocities? > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’m saying that “might” is something to factor in when deciding whether this or that is in your best interests. So “might is right.” Gotcha. And I’m still unclear on what your defence is. Based on everything you’ve said: you think murdering Palestinians that go for a swim in the ocean is just fine because doing so is in Israels best interest? That’s your defence? Do you really think a legacy of murdering swimmers, thousands of dead babies killed in the most horrible ways live-streamed to the world every single day is in Israels best interest? Because that will forever be Israels legacy. Nobody will remember what happened on October the 7th. What will be remembered is how Israel chose to respond. And what became of the Palestinian people. And how most of the world, much like you, showed indifference. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4727 "2025-07-18T09:36:40Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > I’ll take this as a concession that it _does_ exist. It isn’t something imaginary like sovereign citizens. Whether citing it _works_ is the same as it is for a sovereign citizen. Whether the _efficacy_ is equally imaginary. Whether it has, as it were, _the force of law,_ or whether phrases like “no way to enforce them” promptly come up. > [@](#): > > It mattered to me as well. It was an atrocity. A war crime. Blatant and multiple breaches of international humanitarian law. I don’t care _who_commits the crime. That shouldn’t matter at all. > > So why does it matter to you? Why are you indifferent when Israel commits atrocities? It was, as you say, an atrocity. I don’t care whether it was a breach of international law — it’s not like the authorities could be called in to enforce a law following said atrocity, it doesn’t actually matter at all — but, as far as I can tell, Israel decided that the world _wasn’t_ to remember what happened on October the 7th as a successful tactic worth emulating; that what will _instead_ be remembered is how Israel chose to respond to that atrocity with much greater atrocities: will remember what became of the Palestinian people — while most of the world showed indifference — when deciding whether it’s in your best interests to commit an October 7th style attack on Israel. > [@](#): > > So “might is right.” > > Gotcha. You don’t seem to be getting my point; I’m not saying that it’s about “right.” I’m saying that people can reasonably expect Israel to react in this manner if they commit a 10/7 type atrocity against it; I’m adding that one can reasonably expect (a) pronouncements about international law from folks who have no way to enforce them, sure as one can also reasonably expect (b) atrocities in response. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4728 "2025-07-18T10:20:56Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Whether citing it _works_ is the same as it is for a sovereign citizen. Whether the _efficacy_ is equally imaginary. Whether it has, as it were, _the force of law,_ or whether phrases like “no way to enforce them” promptly come up. > > > [@](#): > > > > It mattered to me as well. It was an atrocity. A war crime. Blatant and multiple breaches of international humanitarian law. I don’t care _who_commits the crime. That shouldn’t matter at all. > > > > So why does it matter to you? Why are you indifferent when Israel commits atrocities? > > It was, as you say, an atrocity. I don’t care whether it was a breach of international law — it’s not like the authorities could be called in to enforce a law following said atrocity, it doesn’t actually matter at all — but, as far as I can tell, Israel decided that the world _wasn’t_ to remember what happened on October the 7th as a successful tactic worth emulating; that what will _instead_ be remembered is how Israel chose to respond to that atrocity with much greater atrocities: will remember what became of the Palestinian people — while most of the world showed indifference — when deciding whether it’s in your best interests to commit an October 7th style attack on Israel. > > > [@](#): > > > > So “might is right.” > > > > Gotcha. > > You don’t seem to be getting my point; I’m not saying that it’s about “right.” I’m saying that people can reasonably expect Israel to react in this manner if they commit a 10/7 type atrocity against it; I’m adding that one can reasonably expect (a) pronouncements about international law from folks who have no way to enforce them, sure as one can also reasonably expect (b) atrocities in response. …I’m _still_ confused. Is your defence of atrocities carried out by Israel the fact that we should have just _expected_ Israel to commit atrocities because that’s just what they do? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4729 "2025-07-18T10:22:20Z")
Israel is mostly hurting peaceful civilians, and certainly not the organizers and funders of Hamas, who are largely outside of Gaza. How does displacing and killing civilians, but not the organizers and funders of the Oct 7th attacks, send a message that would discourage future attacks? ISTM that Israel is doing terrible damage to their future by creating thousands upon thousands of orphans and other bereaved young people who will be easy recruits for future versions of Hamas. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4730 "2025-07-18T10:28:29Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > Is your defence of atrocities carried out by Israel the fact that we should have just _expected_ Israel to commit atrocities because that’s just what they do? It is — demonstrably — what they do in response to an attack like the 10/7 atrocity. When deciding whether to commit something like unto the 10/7 attack on Israel, I would recommend that people recall what Israel does in response to an attack like the 10/7 atrocity. My question to you would be: _was_ this response to 10/7 what people expected? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4731 "2025-07-18T10:34:27Z")
Killing and displacing civilians, and destroying civilian infrastructure, and largely leaving the organizers and funders of the Oct 7th attacks alone? No, that’s not what I expected Israel’s response to be. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4732 "2025-07-18T10:36:17Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > It is — demonstrably — what they do in response to an attack like the 10/7 atrocity. When deciding whether to commit something like unto the 10/7 attack on Israel, I would recommend that people recall what Israel does in response to an attack like the 10/7 atrocity. …so you think Israelis are incapable of _not_ committing atrocities? Do you think that this is who they are? > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > My question to you would be: _was_ this response to 10/7 what people expected? No, this isn’t how I’d expect the so-called “most moral army in the world” to respond. But now that they have, _I condemn them_. Do you condemn atrocities committed by the IDF in response to the attacks on October 7th? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4733 "2025-07-18T10:45:24Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …so you think Israelis are incapable of _not_ committing atrocities? …_incapable?_ No, of course they’re not _incapable._ What a bizarre question. > [@](#): > > No, this isn’t how I’d expect the so-called “most moral army in the world” to respond. Well, now you know better; possibly the people who carried out the 10/7 attack _likewise_ didn’t expect the Israelis to respond this way, and possibly the next people thinking of carrying out a 10/7-style attack will _likewise_ now know better. > [@](#): > > Do you condemn atrocities committed by the IDF in response to the attacks on October 7th? What? No, of course not. Wow; here I was, thinking this whole thing was getting _repetitive_ — that we’re clearly just going around in circles — and, somehow, I haven’t yet gotten this across to you? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4734 "2025-07-18T10:55:40Z")
Have you considered the possibility that, by focusing on destroying infrastructure and civilians, and largely ignoring the funders and planners of the Oct 7th attacks, Israel could be encouraging and increasing the likelihood of future attacks? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4735 "2025-07-18T10:56:58Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > …_incapable?_ No, of course they’re not _incapable._ > > What a bizarre question. …so why would I expect it? > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Well, now you know better Don’t you know it. I’ve gone from a supporter of Israel to they are the most dangerous country in the Middle East. The world needs to stop funding them and enabling them. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > What? No, of course not. So, for the sake of clarity: you _support_ atrocities committed by the IDF in response to the attacks on October 7th? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4736 "2025-07-18T10:57:00Z")
@The_Other_Waldo_Pepper, if you thought publicly torturing Gazan children would dissuade future attacks, would you be in favor of that? Or would you think that’s morally wrong? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2025, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317/4737 "2025-07-18T11:11:58Z")
> [@](#): > > > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > > …_incapable?_ No, of course they’re not _incapable._ > > > > What a bizarre question. > > …so why would I expect it? What in _the actual fuck?_ One can reasonably expect a given response without believing someone is “incapable” of doing otherwise; there’s no conceptual hurdle; it’s entirely possible to grant that someone is ‘capable’ of doing X or Y or Z, while explaining that you reasonably expect response X. This is pretty basic stuff. This is _ridiculously_ basic stuff. > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > So, for the sake of clarity: you _support_ atrocities committed by the IDF in response to the attacks on October 7th? I don’t see how you could possibly need further clarity at this point, but: yes, I support the atrocities committed by the IDF in response to the attacks on October 7th. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317.md?page=229) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-hamas-attacks-israel-thread-october-2023/991317.md?page=231)