> Ok, I'm having a conversation with someone about the anthrax letters that are being sent all over the US and all. She doesn't understand "why" it's happening - I tell her, it's pretty simple. Spread fear, panic etc - and kill people in the process. She replies, "killing never solves anything." Now, maybe I'm missing something here, but this seems like a blantantly stupid idea. Any thoughts?

Killing solves a lot of problems.

Let's say there's someone who constantly calls you up in the middle of the night because he's an idiot and can't remember that the phone number he's trying to call ends in 366 instead of your 336. So you kill him. No more 3am calls.

Aside from that silly reponse, I think you gave her the correct reasoning. Killing people in terrorist acts will cause people to be afraid or panic. These people think that by killing enough Americans, we'll be afraid of further attacks and either stop supporting Israel, get out of the Middle East entirely, stop bombing Afghanistan, or whatever they want. If she can't understand that, do what Dave suggested and punch her.

-FP