Would assassination of Ahmadinejad by USA / Israel be moral?

Answer 1

Without addressing the question of whether the assassination of Ahmadinejad would be practical or strategically desirable, if he is aggressively threatening the safety and stability of the free world, then it would be moral without question. To parallel my answer to your Hitler question, assassination of Ahmadinejad would, in that circumstance, be a defensive tactic, not an aggressive one. The question is whether Ahmadinejad can yet be considered the aggressor.

Ahmadinejad is seeking atomic weapons. He has called for the elimination of Israel as a state. He has openly stated that, while it would take several atomic weapons to destroy Iran, it would take only one to destroy Israel, based on its size. He supports Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which aggressively attack Israel and threaten regional stability. He seeks to use his proxies, Hezbollah and Syria, to choke off democracy in Lebanon. He foments violence in Iraq in order to destabilize the democracy there and to frustrate US interests. Are these actions bringing us inevitably toward war? If so, then a preemptive assassination would be moral in light of the alternative.

If the choice is to kill one man now, or to kill hundreds of thousands later, then it is moral to kill one man now. I don't think we have enough information at this point to answer that question, nor do we have enough information to examine fully the practical pros and cons (but that is a separate question).

On another note, the fact that Ahmadinejad was democratically elected is of no consequence. Hitler was democratically elected also.

Answer 2

It would not be moral to assassinate him, and it would not improve relations between the US and Iran. Another, perhaps more divisive, person would replace him and create possibly even worse relations between Iran and the US.

Stephanie, I would hardly call Ahmadinejad a democratically elected leader. To compare the electoral systems of the United
States and Europe to Iran's is specious. In Iran, only people approved by Iran's Guardian Council can run for President or Parliament. And this so called council is completed control by Islamic religious conservatives, which ensures only hard line candidates are put before the people of Iran for a vote.

And Stephanie, I would also stop reading about the US and Israel being equal or worse aggressors than they Islamic peoples of the Middle East. Since 1948, when Israel first became a state, Muslims have tried to "wipe it off the face of the map," There have been three major wars fought against Israel, and in none of these was Israel the aggression. Each time it was Muslim countries attempting invade and destroy Israel. Muslims hate the US because we support the only true democracy in the Middle East, Israel. Prior to the 9/11 attacks, the US had never invaded or attacked a Mideast nation, except once, Kuwait, and this was only on the request of its true sovereign rulers.

Be very careful when you read revisionist History, it's only purpose is to corrupt the truth. Would you believe Japan's view of World War II? According to their history books, they were not even an aggressor during the World War II! But Stephanie, by all means you can chose to believe the Japanese viewpoint, just don't tell that to any of the survivors of the Rape of Nanking!

Answer 3

Meaning no disrespect -- but the question is a non-sequitur.

Aristotle said there are certain jobs in which it is impossible to be moral -- and politics is one of them. There is such a thing as a "Raison d'etat." And for "reasons of state" individuals operating in the name of the state must at times do things that would be immoral if they did them as individuals.

A few months ago, the US dropped a bomb on Al Qaeda's number two man in Iraq, and killed some bystanders who were outside. If you or I did this, it would be murder, but the state, attempting to get a monster like this is going to do it because it has to. It's childish to take a moral absolutist position and say that you would NEVER condone murder (as some have done who've already answered your question). That's insipid in the extreme. In safeguarding the state -- you do what you have to do, and you DO NOT apologize for it.

The concept of personal morality simply doesn't apply in the same way. Now, of course, this is not to say that governments can wipe out anyone they want for any reason. There are limitations to everything. But under designation of "Clear and Present Danger," all bets are off.

An assassination of the Iranian leadership would simply be stupid. It wouldn't affect policy. It wouldn't stop the nuclear program or get the Iranians to stop backing Shiite extremists or Hezbollah -- and furthermore, it would only enrage the Iranian people and drive them further into the clutches of the hard-liners.

So I would argue that such an assassination is idiotic -- but that is a far cry from saying it's immoral. THAT judgement makes no sense.

Answer 4

No. It would only further to alienate us from the middle eastern world. People need to wake up and realize that the US is not always the innocent party, people dont hate us for no reason. Israel is not hated for no reason. Have you ever studied the history of Israel, from a point of view that is not US or Israel?
Ahmadinejad is not a dictator, he was elected, he is the leader that was chosen and we have to respect that and work with him. Other countries dont like Bush but they work the man.

Answer 5

Assassination of a legally elected president of another country is the worst kind of interference into affairs of another state. Besides, nobody appointed the USA to be a world policemen or assigned to us the absolute power over everybody else.

Answer 6

No. Although I'd say the killing Bush is even of a higher moral value and a far better contribution to the peace of the world, I'd refrain from seriously suggesting it because killing is not the way out. The US Army has largely proved that all thorughout the history of the US.

Answer 7

Not at all. He is a democratically elected leader.

Answer 8

He's hot :)

http://www.terra.com/deportes/especiales/conquistador/wallpapers/iran.jpg