Iraq Guerrilla Attacks Called War Crimes

[jimnyc]

** Couldn't agree more **

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Guerrillas who attack civilians in Iraq for collaborating with the U.S.-led coalition are committing war crimes, a human rights group said Saturday.

International humanitarian law forbids targeting civilians, New York-based Human Rights Watch noted in a statement.

"Civilians working for the occupying power are not legitimate targets of attack," Human Rights Watch said.

The statement cited attacks on translators, government officials and community leaders, including Aquila al-Hashimi, a member of Iraq's U.S.-appointed Governing Council who was gunned down near her Baghdad home on Sept. 20.

"All Iraqi civilians are protected by the Geneva Conventions," said Joe Stork, acting executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division. "It doesn't matter whether they sympathize with the U.S. occupation, or with the insurgents."

Human Rights Watch also cited the deaths of Sargoun Murado, who represented Assyrian Christians on the municipal council of the southern city of Basra; two prominent judges, Muhan Jabir al-Shuwaili and Ismail Yusif; and Faris Abdul-Razzaq al-Asam, Baghdad's deputy mayor.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...p/20031122/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_human_rights_1

 

[DKSuddeth]

** Couldn't agree more **

yeah, i'm pretty much of that mindset as well

civilians never should be a target for any violence, whether it be for collaboration with the occupiers or insurgents.

 

[SLClemens]

It's wonderful to see someone thinking of this in terms of combatants vs. civilians rather than us vs. the enemy.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by SLClemens
It's wonderful to see someone thinking of this in terms of combatants vs. civilians rather than us vs. the enemy.

Yes, let's make sure we don't insult those that purposely attack innocent civilians.

 

[SLClemens]

Originally posted by jimnyc
Yes, let's make sure we don't insult those that purposely attack innocent civilians.

I have no problem insulting those who purposely target civilians, be they in uniform or not, on the street or in an office.

 

[rtm]

What about the US? Didn't we kill 55,000 during the invasion of Iraq? Your thick republican head seems to forget that we also are guilty of war crimes, but I guess you'll just try and reason that they're collateral damage and happy to die so that we can drive to work another mile

 

[DKSuddeth]

Didn't we kill 55,000 during the invasion of Iraq?

actually, groups figure around 13,000 to 15,000 civilians were killed during the invasion.

 

[nbdysfu]

Originally posted by DKSuddeth
actually, groups figure around 13,000 to 15,000 civilians were killed during the invasion.

The next question is who killed those civilians and which military targets Saddam Hussein was forcing them into, as he has been known to do such things.

 

[nbdysfu]

If they're using Geneva conventions to assess the situation in Iraq, does that mean the international community considers this a legitimate war? Recognizes terrorists as aggressors independent of the civilian population, as all I have read indicates that internationally there is a lot of doubt about wether Saddam is directing the opposition?