Precision guidance... anyone?

[Elmo]

Its easier to sympathize than to take responsibility, though i understand your intentions are righteous but you have to understand there are certain occasions where collateral damage is inevitable. Yes i agree that innocent civilians losing their lives is stoppable and avoidable but that entirely depends on various situations. Take for e.g a scenario where 5 or 6 Taliban use a civilian house or school, take shelter there use the folks there as human shields, you have the Pakistan military fire an artillery and blows up the house without knowing that civilians were inside, who than would you blame?? And would you than call that State Murder or collateral damage?

Whether civilian deaths are avoidable or not completely depends on situation you are in. Alot of the professional armies in the world atleast try their best to never strike innocent civilians just for the heck of it and than call it Collateral damage and get away. Either

1) They had completely Wrong intelligence of their targets whereabouts
2) Previous warnings are given of aerial, artillery bombardment in that location/region via speakers, television or pamphlets yet the people refused to leave and did not evacuate.
3) Civilian casualties are inevitable in a large conventional war where an army is forced to enter a hostile territory and has to be on a lookout for hostile forces.

Majority of the time its not blatant murder but rather a mistake which if avoidable will always be avoided

When a guy with a radio or laser designator is about to meet his maker "self survival" brings about "collateral damage". I cannot explain the feeling of "just about to die". But I am sure self preservation over any other persons survival takes precedence. That I am afraid is human nature. I am not going to deny some lazy grunts making rash decisions in calling unnecessary strikes but what can you say about those who hide among the innocent? We deem them evil as would a scared white guy with a gun and no idea what is going on around him. Its a tough sell ..

Agreed, but calling the loss of innocent lives "collateral damage"

what's so "collateral" about the "damage"?

 

[Durran3]

Agreed, but calling the loss of innocent lives "collateral damage"

what's so "collateral" about the "damage"?

Its the same as 'accompanying damage' ...

lol best thing i could come up with