Are Foreign Lives of Equal Worth to Ours? Stay up to date with
the latest headlines via email. When a U.S. civilian is murdered
in a foreign land or in the United States, we rightfully feel
angry, sad, and some of us demand vengeance. These are normal,
primordial, and instinctive feelings of group loyalty and herd
mentality that have bound communities and countries for
thousands of years. Should such human traits, which are often
beneficial, emotional and irrational, continue to justify the
retaliatory killing of innocent civilians in the 21 st century?
After the tragic murder of nearly 3,000 U.S. citizens on 9/11,
the United States toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan and killed
and captured hundreds of al-Qaeda leaders and members. However,
Afghanistan lost as many as 32,000 citizens since the U.S.
invasion in 2001. The U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan
was followed immediately by a plan to invade Iraq and topple
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The invasion went ahead despite
the inconclusive evidence