A weekend US attack on a hospital full of civilians outside the Afghan city of Kunduz has sparked international condemnation, with the aid group that was operating the facility, Doctors Without Borders, urging an immediate independent investigation with the presumption that a war crime had been committed.
That’s unlikely to happen, however, as the White House insists bombing the hospital wasn’t “a war crime,” and Gen. Campbell dancing around the issue, claiming simultaneously that the attack was intention, and the result of an Afghan government request, but that the civilian deaths were “accidental.”
Huge civilian tolls in US attacks in Afghanistan have been a common occurrence throughout the 14-year occupation, and legal experts say it’s very unlikely that the International Criminal Court will look to step in on the incident, believing it would be too “politically sensitive” for the US.
The Afghan government has so far defended the attack, calling the hospital a “Taliban base” and claiming the slain civilians were “armed terrorists.” Though the US is stopping short of such an outrageous claim themselves, Pentagon investigations rarely end in any serious action against personnel for killing civilians.
Doctors Without Borders is an organization with some influence, however, and the UN Rights Council is similarly saying it’s likely that a war crime was committed in this attack. Ultimately, however, the Pentagon has a lot of recent experience with weaseling out of such incidents, and that means whatever the letter of the law, officials will be fighting hard to bury this situation like they have so many others.
This is not a war crime, killing over a million of Iraqi people is not war crime, orchestrating killing of Syrian people by Saudis barbarism is not war crime, millions upon millions of Syrian and Iraqis, afghanis being displaced is not war crimes, off course no, for US supremacy and its militarism regimes hand in hand with Neo liberalism and that Swedish King nothing of sorts is a war crimes, is only the ordinary people think that it is a war crime, but what the ordinary people knows, they are the useful idiots who would vote again to witness their masters killings.
The benefit of being the world's bully, if "we" do it, it's ok, if someone else does it, it ain't.
"War crimes?" If George Bush and his cronies can get away with torture,
war of aggression against Iraq, does anyone honestly believe that the
U.S. will come clean on this.
Question:
When is bombing a hospital (not) a War Crime?
Answer:
When the USG, Israel, and their flunkies do it.
What a crock of sh**.
American Exceptionalism , not exceptional its except! every body else commits war crimes EXCEPT America, Every body gives material support to Terrorists EXCEPT America! EXCEPT the reality is it is more than likely the other way around! Just look at Syria, head of ISIS trained by the US in Georgia in 2008 to fight in Chechnia against Russia Material support for Terrorism, retrained in 2011 by the US to fight in the overthrow of Syria,
This time however they have attacked the WRONG group, respected humanitarians, with witnesses that are doctors in OTHER permanent security council countries, not as easy to ignore, and whilst there will be the usual veto by the US, French British and other European nations will not be pleased!
One wonders how US intel, after more than a decade in that backward country, could be so poor as to not know they were bombing a hospital? There's much more to this story that, like the murder of Michael Hastings, will be buried.
This attack makes no sense, as a grate and valuable service does Doctors Without Borders perform for the US military, especially this hospital that mainly cares for those made bloody by the US backed forces. But, Empire USA needs expansion to survive and terrorizing the public into fearful submission is what this war is all about.
I see the spin doctors working real hard on this one. But then again, its not like they haven't had to deal with "situations" like this before. I'm just wondering when the American people are going to rise up and say enough already.
The president holds a press conference about a school shooting, where the shooter wantonly guns down innocent victims, and the president speaks at length about the crime of a lone nut.
The US military bombs a hospital where intensive care patients are seen burning in their beds and something like 19 people are wantonly slaughtered, and the president could care less. No press conference, no war crimes. In fact he defends the atrocity.
What have our politicians become?
Is bombing a hospital a war crime? Well now, that depends on the meaning of "is."
I'm sure Josh Earnest is not qualified to determine whether or not the intentional bombing (according to General Campbell) of a hospital is a war crime. I wonder if he realizes that as a spokesperson for the WH he becomes a part of the "war crime." After all, didn't Dubya put Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi government spokesman in the deck of assassination cards? What's fair for the goose is surely fair for the gander, as they say.
Oc ourse it isnt a war crime. War crimes are only committed by nations the USA doesnt approve of.
Can't be a war crime — that would expose Israel.