[Prokopton]

"I understand many disagree with me on this, but I assure you, my reluctance does not stem from any kind of guilt. It stems from proportionality."

Proportionality in fighting a war is one of the most dangerous things I can think of. Overwhelming, non-proportional force is the only way to fight if victory is the desired goal.

[wku man]

Yep...it's like the UN condemning Israel for her "disproportionate" use of force against hezbollah this summer. The nature of warfare has not changed, nor will it ever change. Wise people will always want to go in with a sledge hammer to crush a mosquito. Gets it over with quickly, with the least possible expendature of blood and treasure.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[rlmorel]

It does depend on how one defines "victory", not an inconsequential point.

I know that the word "proportionality" is a hot button word, and I considered leaving it out, but...surely you can agree, that as a rhetorical device in helping to define the opposite ends of a spectrum, that it IS valid?

Surely you and I can agree that a crazed mulim extremist who shoots one lone American on a street corner would not be valid grounds for dropping a nuclear weapon on Damascus and killing a million people?

That was how I was primarily using the word.