<"Nope. Desperation is. Arguably the biggest expression of terrorism was the US firebombing of Tokyo, Kobe, Dresden and Hamburg in WWII. Done at a time when the wars were won, they were directed against civilian populations. The Tokyo raid along killed 250,000 people. That was done by a democracy."

On the one hand you say desperation is the cause of terrorism and in the next sentence you say the war was won. As usual you want it both ways.

"Gandhi and the Indians were dealing with a civilized nation, unwilling to slaughter them."

You are an Irishman. what is your opinion of the Brits in Northern Ireland when faced with a violent adversary? The fact is the British Empire ruthlessly put down all Independence movements before Ghandi.

"Martin Luther King and the civil rights people had the media and most of the country on their side."

MLK had the media and most of the country on his side because he used civil disobedience as his method. If he had used violence the media and public opinion would have been against him.

Sharon has demonstrated repeatedly what he will do to helpless civilians even when they aren't engaged in civil disobedience. Not a nice guy."

What Sharon has demonstrated is what Bull Conner could have done in B'ham if the AA had used suicide bombers. He has also demonstrated what the Brits have done in every instance they have been faced with a violent opponent.

Your OPINION that civil disobedience will not work is something that you are entitled to hold. However, your specious comments do not support your opinion and they certainly don't justify the term BOGUS.

Hard to understand how anyone can be so opposed to a nonviolent approach that has not been tried. What does that say about a such a person.