US Army Shoot Unborn Baby in the Womb

[dabong1]

One of the more intriguing international headlines last week was “Growing Anger at US Killings in Afghanistan: Unborn Baby Shot in the Womb Definitely Not a Militant”; and I began to write about the foreign cowboys whose slaughter has alienated so many citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and encouraged countless young men into the welcoming explosive jackets of the barbaric Taliban.
The unborn baby story is terrible, but it didn’t get much international coverage, and none in the United States. One account was that “When the killings were reported...US forces claimed they had killed ‘four militants’ and wounded another. It was only later that they were forced to acknowledge that the house they attacked belonged to a Afghan Army officer, and that the people killed were his wife, a brother, and two of his children...the wounded woman [described] in the initial report was nine-months pregnant, and the attacking US forces shot the unborn baby in her womb. The troops now say they don’t believe the people they killed were involved in militant activities.”

How evocative, to my generation, at least, of Nazi Germany’s savagery in Poland and other occupied countries in the hideous years of Hitler’s war.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090410/wl_sthasia_afp/afghanistanunrestcivilianlead

 

[qsaark]

No reply? People see all kind of oppression in Islam and Shariyat and promptly condemn that but what about this? Where are those who wasted no time condemning the fake video of girl flogged? Don’t you see anything condemnable in this report? The life of the mother and her unborn is less holier than the girl who was flogged?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Collateral damage and 'mistaken identity' I suppose are part and parcel of any war.

I think what needs to be established here is whether such incidents occur at a rate that is unacceptable, or whether they are done deliberately, widespread and whether inherent problems in the system/policies are a cause.

Just focusing on the emotive and gore aspects of an incident does not, IMO, offer a proper understanding of the real issues.

 

[qsaark]

Well said AG, you also started speaking the language of the oppressors and aggressors. The pregnant woman received 5 shots in her belly? This looks like a collateral damage to you?

 

[Lockheed F-16]

Well, no surprise, those things are happening everywhere, Muslims are opressed everywhere.

By the way: You can swap the 'US Army' in the title with 'Israeli Army' or 'British Army'

 

[muse]

It's certainly condemnable, on the other hand it is clearly a mistake and not SOP - the difference between Talib and any government force is that for the Talib, inflicting inhuimane punishments and labeling these as islamic is de rigeur, whereas for any govt forces, it is not SOP, it is a gross, condemnable, error.

 

[Hasnain2009]

Death to US army!!
Down with USA!!

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Well said AG, you also started speaking the language of the oppressors and aggressors. The pregnant woman received 5 shots in her belly? This looks like a collateral damage to you?

Apparently I just can't win.

I'm either a closet Islamist with a 'hidden agenda', or I am a supporter of the Zionist/Crusader 'oppressors and aggressors'. I think I have also been called a 'Hindu in disguise' in one extremely virulent PM by a disgruntled Pakistani poster.

But seriously Sir,

Any innocent life lost is a tragedy, and I am not trying to suggest that this is excusable. But I do think that a distinction needs to made between policies/systems/mindset that allow for such incidents and a genuine 'fog of war' mistake.

The PA itself has inflicted collateral damage in Bajaur, and I cannot believe they did so out of a deliberate desire to kill their own innocent countrymen.

I just think there needs to be further analysis of collateral damage inflicted by the US/NATO, to see if there are deeper policy problems that lead to innocent deaths.

 

[dabong1]

I wonder what the comments would have been if it was the taliban that had shot the pregnant woman.....would the same excuses of 'fog of war' "collateral damage" and 'mistaken identity' been taken from the taliban or is it only western troops that are allowed that excuse?

 

[roadrunner]

Apparently I just can't win.

I'm either a closet Islamist with a 'hidden agenda', or I am a supporter of the Zionist/Crusader 'oppressors and aggressors'.

Welcome to the club

On the topic. The incident is very unfortunate, and they are part of the collateral damage of warfare, be it a Taliban suicide bomb, or an American raid such as this.

What worries me more are these coverups that are done.

The casualties of this war are the citizens such as this.

 

[roadrunner]

I wonder what the comments would have been if it was the taliban that had shot the pregnant woman.....would the same excuses of 'fog of war' "collateral damage" and 'mistaken identity' been taken from the taliban or is it only western troops that are allowed that excuse?

It is true that you will find the fascist brigade claiming the Taliban kill innocents, without mentioning the "collateral damage" caused by the US.

It is best not to be in that group of fascists, but to tread more middle of the line.

You will get accused of being a mad Mullah with one eye and 42 different heads, but that is generally from the extremist side that see Islam as evil (some of them Muslims as well with little spine). You'd best tread somewhere middle.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I wonder what the comments would have been if it was the taliban that had shot the pregnant woman.....would the same excuses of 'fog of war' "collateral damage" and 'mistaken identity' been taken from the taliban or is it only western troops that are allowed that excuse?

The Taliban, in Pakistan at least, make no bones about the fact that their actions are deliberate - whether its flogging a woman or beheading others for spying, prostitution (all without any proper trial - Islamic or otherwise), suicide bombings, or killing and stringing up locals who oppose them, blowing up 'immoral businesses' etc.

Those are the actions the Taliban are typically condemned for, actions they proudly own up to as part and parcel of their ideology and policies.

 

[Kasrkin]

For the record, I think AM does a splendid job balancing the different points of view without losing his integrity or that of the forum. His voice of reason and his ability to always tread the middle path is something to be admired. This is something I feel all TT members should work on.

In relation to the topic, cover-ups are not unheard of in the US miliary; as is outright lying. We need to be careful while concluding the situation either way. But it is difficult to expect those in uniform responsible (if it is indeed not a mistake) to be punished the way they would be at home as convicts for violent murder would be.

 

[dabong1]

The Taliban, in Pakistan at least, make no bones about the fact that their actions are deliberate - whether its flogging a woman or beheading others for spying, prostitution (all without any proper trial - Islamic or otherwise),..

I agree that the the the islamic courts need to be trained and transparent but its only early days.....the previous excess commited by BM can be curtailed with the introduction of sharia.
The actual punishments i have no problem with just as long as it all be done through a fair trail as you said.

Those are the actions the Taliban are typically condemned for, actions they proudly own up to as part and parcel of their ideology and policies.

Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq: We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.

 

[notsuperstitious]

The personal tragedy of innocent victims of war is absolutely terrible. no words can describe such waste of human life, they don't get a second chance. RIP.

But those who equate such events with deliberate targetting of civilians in the name of an ideology are actually supporting deliberating targetting of civilians in the name of an ideology.

And I also think AM is a Hindu in disguise, he's so sensible