On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 16:46:59 -0500, Jim wrote:

The pilots orders are in the form of coordinates. Fortunately for him
(her?) he has no idea what he is bombing. I suspect that most of the
decisions aren't even made on the battlefield. Targets most likely come
from the Pentagon.

HOWEVER

Can you cite any attempt to shield civilians from attack? i.e., DO NOT
bomb here -- it's a hospital, or such.

John H wrote:
On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 08:21:25 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:


John H wrote:


On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 22:26:51 -0500, Jim wrote:


In 1946, the Nuremberg Tribunal concluded: "To initiate a war of
aggression is not only an international crime; it is the supreme
international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it
contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole."

Nuremberg also taught us that "just following orders" is not an excuse
for what the winning side declares to be war crimes. So while the
Germans couldn't get off the hook, neither can the Iraqis, who have been
told from the beginning of the invasion that if they DID follow their
leaders' orders, they would be tried for war crimes. And yet, the
sensitive American soldier who is told to drop bombs on undefended Iraqi
villages -- well, he must do what he is told to do and there's no wiggle
room. He is ruled by people with divine rights; the power that comes

from holding one hand on a bible and keeping the other outstretched to

the oil oligarchy.

What is the wing opening in the sky? What is darkening the clouds? When
does it descend in all its ominous power?
"The best lack all convictions, while the worst Are full of passionate
intensity." (Yeats)

Can you provide an instance where an American soldier was told that he
was to drop bombs on an undefended village and then proceeded to do
so?

I thought not. Now, what is the rest of your post worth?

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!


We've dropped plenty of bombs on plenty of villages in Iraq, and, by the
standards of modern warfare, these villages were either undefended
entirely, or were "defended" by a small rabble of irregulars whose
actions were small-scale and had nothing to do with the village, but,
rather, with saving their own skins. There are counts kept of the
non-combatant Iraqi civilians we have killed. The numbers are in the
thousands.

You think playing your "literalist" games gives you an argument? It only
makes you the bigger fool.

Is this what they taught you in the military? Amorality?


Read the question, Harry. "Can you provide an instance where an
American soldier was told that he was to drop bombs on an undefended
village and then proceeded to do so?"

If you can't answer the question, go play mosquito somewhere else.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

I didn't make the comparisons of American soldiers to Nazi war
criminals. I don't think Adolf Eichman 'accidentally' put a couple
million Jews through the crematoriums as 'collateral damage'. I
therefore don't think the comparison was appropriate.

As to your question, "Can you cite any attempt to shield civilians
from attack? i.e., DO NOT bomb here -- it's a hospital, or such."

I would only suggest you look at any news coverage of Baghdad. You
willl see buildings including mosques, hospitals, castles, etc. still
standing. The US could have easily (and cheaply) levelled every
structure in the city, but chose instead to hit only specific targets.
Were there some strays? Yes. But to imply that the US military is in
the same league as Mr. Eichman and associates is somewhat extreme and
reflects quite unfavorably on the dimwits espousing the view for their
agenda.

There, I've sunk to name-calling.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!