Double Standards on Civilian Deaths

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



Double Standards on Civilian Deaths
May 30, 2012

Whenever U.S. forces inflict massive civilian casualties, it’s a “mistake” or the fault of the targets because they were “hiding” in populated areas. Yet, when civilian deaths occur in the country of a “designated enemy,” all ambiguity is swept aside and no excuses are accepted, a double standard addressed by John LaForge.

By John LaForge


In the war fever being ramped up against Syria, there is broad public indignation over the massacre of more than 100 civilians in the town of Houla last weekend. Would that the U.S. diplomatic corps and the commercial press were equally outraged over our own military’s atrocities.

While details of the Syrian massacre are unclear and still subject to dispute, Canada, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Australia, Germany, Spain and the United States have expelled Syrian diplomats in protest. The State Department called the rampage “despicable” and complained about a regime that could “connive in or organize” such a thing.


However, the department was silent on the U.S. killing four years ago of just as many Afghan civilians, including 60 children, in Azizabad. A draft UN Security Council press statement said about the Aug. 22, 2008, bombing that member nations “strongly deplore the fact that this is not the first incident of this kind” and that “the killing and maiming of civilians is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

The crime wasn’t decried as a “massacre” by the State Department, which finds it easier to denounce indiscriminate attacks when the enemy du jour stands accused. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/05/30/double-standards-on-civilian-deaths/

[David__77]

1. Here here!

Excellent point about sickening hypocrisy.

[marasinghe]

2. to paraphrase what Churchill, or some such Imperial Goon, said ....

the predators with the biggest kill lists, orchestrate the war-crimes tribunals.

[Odin2005]

3. If US presidents had been held to Nuremberg standards...

...every single one, including Obama, would be executed for crimes against humanity.