UK's Independent shows profound ignorance of warfare
In an article written by Patrick Cockburn, the Independent suggest that US troops are killing Iraqi civilians because they are frightened and undisiplined. Not once in the article did Codburn mention what has put civilians in Iraq at risk. It is not US troops acting irresponsible. It is an enemy acting as unlawful combatants camoflaging themselves illegally as civilians that has put the civilians at risk. Cockburn's suggested remedy of removing immunity of US troops as a solution is nonsense on stilts.
Until the enemy follows the rules set forth by the Geneva Convention, unfortunatly civilians and reporters who dress like civilians are going to be at risk and they need to be careful that they make clear to US troops that they are not a threat. That is the reality that an unpricipaled enemy has put them in, not the US troops. If the enemy where a distinctive unifor as required and openly carried arms, as US forces do, then the number of civilian casualties would be greatly reduced. But, Cockburn makes no mention of the enemy's violation of the Geneva Convenction and the consequences of that violation.
It was the very recognition of how camoflaging oneself as a civilian endagered civilians that led the Geneva Convention to deny prisoner of war status to unlawful combatants. That was supposed to give them some incentive to play by the rules. While the insurgents in Iraq may be too weak or cowardly to play by the rules that should not be an occassion to criticize US forces for the consequences of the enemy's bad conduct. Cockburn and the Independent should be ashamed.
In an article written by Patrick Cockburn, the Independent suggest that US troops are killing Iraqi civilians because they are frightened and undisiplined. Not once in the article did Codburn mention what has put civilians in Iraq at risk. It is not US troops acting irresponsible. It is an enemy acting as unlawful combatants camoflaging themselves illegally as civilians that has put the civilians at risk. Cockburn's suggested remedy of removing immunity of US troops as a solution is nonsense on stilts.
Until the enemy follows the rules set forth by the Geneva Convention, unfortunatly civilians and reporters who dress like civilians are going to be at risk and they need to be careful that they make clear to US troops that they are not a threat. That is the reality that an unpricipaled enemy has put them in, not the US troops. If the enemy where a distinctive unifor as required and openly carried arms, as US forces do, then the number of civilian casualties would be greatly reduced. But, Cockburn makes no mention of the enemy's violation of the Geneva Convenction and the consequences of that violation.
It was the very recognition of how camoflaging oneself as a civilian endagered civilians that led the Geneva Convention to deny prisoner of war status to unlawful combatants. That was supposed to give them some incentive to play by the rules. While the insurgents in Iraq may be too weak or cowardly to play by the rules that should not be an occassion to criticize US forces for the consequences of the enemy's bad conduct. Cockburn and the Independent should be ashamed.
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