Lets Settle This

[Neo-Scholastic]

As a matter of survival the ancient Isrealites needed to defend themselves against the unprovoked and aggressive violence of other nations. War presents problems in which there are no good options. Sometimes the only options are bad and worse. Suppose all the opposing men were killed while sparing the women and children. Then what? Leave them to starve? A fast death is better than a slow agonizing one. Enslave them? Besides the immorality of slavery, many of the enemy women would have shared the wickedness of men and seek vengence. Meanwhile the children would grow resentful of their captors and continue the violence. The resulting death toll could easily have been greater than the slaughter. If I was Truman, I also would have dropped the atomic bomb to bring war to an end quickly, even if it meant killing innocent people. So to answer your question as directly as possible. Yes. I would kill everyone, just as God directed, as horrible and repugnant as would seem from my perspective as a soldier.