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Wed 26 Mar, 2003 11:52 am
As timber pointed out in a recent post on the big US, UN, and Iraq thread:
"A human shield of terrified Iraqi women and children was held at gunpoint at a military base surrounded by tanks from the US 7th Cavalry on their drive towards Baghdad.
Jets were already screaming towards the base when scouts monitoring the site spotted the human shield. The attack was aborted."
Actions such as these are likely to be heard repeatedly in the days and weeks ahead. How to respond, or not to respond? If this practice becomes widespread, what will be the effect on military tactical planning and procedures?
1) Don't accept everything you read as the truth.
2) War is Hell -- and that is why many of us were (and still are) so adament about not starting one.
3) Whether they are used as shields or not -- innocent civilians are going to be casualties of war.
Our military tactitians knew that Saddam would use human shields before the first bomb dropped on Baghdad. The Iraqi's are not going to live by any international laws. That was a given before the war started. There are going to be many dead innocent Iraqis. Most of us knew this before this war started. The logic for this war is lost when considered from the premise that this war is about regime change, but many innocent people will be killed. We also knew this. I wonder how many innocent lives are worth this war to replace Saddam? c.i.
I wonder too, c.i. It all boils down to the cost, doesn't it? If everyone is in agreement that a regime change would be wonderful for the people of the region, the only remaining question is that of : At what cost?
The problem with the solution "regime change" is the same (after a fashion) with the solution "drop the guy" offered to women dealing with an abusive spouse.
What happned all too often to women who finally manage to get rid of an abusive husband is -- they tie up with another abusive man.
The kind of men they like are dominating men -- and dominating men have more of their fair share of abusers in their ranks.
I suspect the Iraqis will end up with another fellow at the top of the totem pole who is very much like Saddam Hussein.
In my opinion, we are treating cancer with a bandaid.
Could anyone have expected any less from people who seem to place such a low value on human life and humanity. They have and will place their military in the midst of the civilian population in the hope that it will deter an attack by coalition forces. To date it has been a successful ploy. How long it can remain to be is the question.
And all this time I thought their military was hiding in France....
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