Posted by alexandra_k on October 14, 2006, at 18:59:03
In reply to Re: If I were an MD, I think I would volunteer to, posted by madeline on October 14, 2006, at 11:15:58
> Would you feel any different if the doctor had deployed to Iraq but then refused to treat the wounded there because he disagreed with the politics?
I don't think disagreeing with the politics is a legitimate defence.
> If a policeman and a burgular shoot each other, a physician has to treat both patients - he doesn't get to pick which patient he agrees with.And if a Nazi and a Jew are both injured in a concentration camp...
He actually has to... Follow orders.
> If an ordinary enlisted man had refused to deploy to Iraq, saying "I will not kill a single person for your politics" then I would absolutely support his decision.You might support it but it isn't a defence in a court of law.
> But this isn't a soldier - it is a doctor. Not only that - one that freely enlisted in order to treat the injured in battle.In a battle that is legal by international law. He has gone to treat the injured in battle before... But he will not go to Iraq because he has good evidence that leads him to believe that the law is NOT legal according to international law. So once more... If you were a doctor you think you would be obliged to follow Nazi orders so you can go be a doctor in a concentration camp?
> In my mind, he may have a legal ground on which to stand, but his morals seem to be a bit questionable.It is good to question.
I wish I summarised better because I'm not sure people are hearing his arguments...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:694101
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20061009/msgs/694825.html