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posted by
n1
on Thursday October 08 2015, @06:44PM
from the known-unknowns-of-collateral-damage dept.
from the known-unknowns-of-collateral-damage dept.
A Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) hospital was bombed by the US. Result, 12 dead staff members and 10 dead patients. The coordinates of the hospital had been communicated to the US forces before to avoid mistakes. The US admits the attack was a decision. MSF is now seeking an independent inquiry.
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Afghan Hospital Bombing: MSF Demands Investigation Under Geneva Conventions
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(Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Thursday October 08 2015, @08:22PM
The pilot in the air can't really tell what the building on the ground is used for. The Afghan army called in airstrikes in the middle of the night (which it admits it did, because they were taking fire from the hospital). The hospital had no roof markings. Early reports say Nato forces were taking fire, but that isn't the case, it was Afghan army.
The doctors deny that there was anyone firing from the hospital grounds:
http://www.gulf-times.com/afghanistan/219/details/457460/medical-aid-group-denies-taliban-were-firing-from-afghan-hospital-hit-by-air-strike [gulf-times.com]
The Afghan army seems to have a grudge against this hospital because the above link states:
"Earlier this year, an Afghan special forces raid in search of a suspected al Qaeda operative prompted the hospital to temporarily close to new patients after the soldiers were accused of behaving violently towards staff."
Seems odd a soldier would mistreat hospital workers unless they thought there was some collusion going on.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2015, @08:43PM
That does not follow. Why would an accusation of soldiers inspecting a hospital behaving violently necessitate no more wounded could enter the hospital for a period of time? That just sounds like vindictiveness on the hospital's part. "Be mean to us and we will let your people die."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2015, @09:07PM
Er, no. Hospitals are supposed to be safe for patients. When the army feels like it can raid a hospital at will looking for enemies then the hospital is no longer safe for patients. They can't easily move all of their current patients but they can stop taking in new ones.
This whole thread is full of war pigs. I don't know if you are just ignorant or are actual apologists. But fuck, get a clue.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2015, @10:33PM
lol, i'm sure when someone commits a murder they flee to a hospital because they are safe there.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @01:25AM
I'm all for saving lives, but when you are fighting a group that beheads children to catchy music and puts it online for the world to see, I find it acceptable to walk into hospitals where they are being treated and shoot the bastards.
They murder innocent civilians for fun. They don't deserve human rights because they opted to give up their humanity. Watch some of their own promotional videos and get a clue. There is no honor in bandaging up these adversaries.
(Score: 2, Redundant) by tathra on Friday October 09 2015, @03:03AM
they don't have to play by the rules of war, they're not geneva convention signatories like we are. we shouldn't sink to their level, and not just because we're bound by international law, but because if we do sink to their level then we're not better than they are.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @09:49AM
We put people in prison for life all the time. Why is eliminating the treat to civilians "stooping to their level"?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @08:16AM
You are writing their propaganda for them.
"When you are fighting a group find it acceptable to walk into hospitals where they are being treated and shoot the patients, we find it acceptable to behead their children and fly planes into their buildings".
And that's why, when fighting evil, you must NEVER sink to their level. A fight against evil will always be unfair, because good has rules, evil does not. Drop the rules, and it becomes evil against evil, and when evil fights against evil, evil always wins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @09:51AM
Shooting an enemy combatant is not the same as beheading children or literally lighting people on fire just to watch them burn. Why are there so many terrorist apologists here?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @12:08PM
If standing up for international law and vilifying war criminals makes one a "terror apologist", then you're damn right I'm a "terror apologist".
(Score: 2, Disagree) by janrinok on Friday October 09 2015, @09:15AM
But killing the doctors and nurses too is not simply 'killing the bastards' - it is killing everybody. And if the doctors were treating Taliban casualties them remember that their oath requires them to do just that. They are sworn to treat all people whom they are able to treat without prejudice. That is why they are considered non-combattants - they do not support any particular side in a conflict. US military medics have the same obligation when it is safe for them to do so.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @01:31AM
The only apologist I see is you, the one that is apologizing for ISIS and their need for a safe haven. Where are the safe havens they give the kurds and the turks?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @03:05AM
Safe havens during war exist for everyone. [crimesofwar.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @09:56AM
Tell that to the tens of thousands of innocent, unarmed, civilians being slaughtered by the same people being protected by these safe havens.
(Score: 2) by pe1rxq on Friday October 09 2015, @08:19AM
No, You are being an apologist by lowering yourself to their level. Are you just trolling or really that stupid?
A civilisation is judged by how it reacts when things get though, not by what it preaches when all is well.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 09 2015, @09:54AM
You have no idea what those words mean.