[Ronin4hire]

Thanks MMM for making this into a seperate thread.

Here's why the destruction of the death star was justified.

It was a weapon of mass destruction with the ability to destroy whole planets.

While it is unlikely there were civilians on the original death star, the incomplete death star orbiting Endor might have had slave labour aboard as the Empire was reknowned for their practice of slavery. I'm thinking probably Wookies. I'm willing to concede this.

I would still say that the destruction was justified though. The completion of the second death star would have made the Empire all but invincible and the wookies that died on board would have been sacrificed for the freedom of the entire planet of Kashyyk as well as other slaves that might have been used.

The Alliance was less a rebel alliance at the time of ROTJ and more of an entirely new political entity made up of worlds that had yet to be subjugated by the Empire. With the Death star complete and fully operational, the Empire would have no problem in threatening these worlds into joining the Empire.

That would force the rebels back into the rag tag force they were at Yavin stripping them of many resources and equipment that was supplied to them and pretty much sealing their fate.

In effect the Alliance had no choice but to destroy both death stars for the sake of themselves and the galaxy.