««  click on pic for story Marla Ruzicka
In an e-mail message to a friend, Marla Ruzicka described the girl sitting on her lap in a Baghdad photo: "This is Harah, she was 3 mts old when her mom threw her out of the window of the car and all her family members died when a US rocket hit the car - now she is big and healthy -we help her- thought you would like to see the photos."

In September 2002 the Pentagon produced Joint Publication 3-06: 'Doctrine for Joint Urban Operations' under the guidance and signature of General John P Abizaid, at that time Director Joint Staff and now overall commander of US forces in Iraq. Appearance of this manual five months before the invasion of Iraq was doubtless coincidental, but it is reasonable to suppose that it was distributed widely during preparation for the war, which had been taking place for most of that year.

Chapter: Operational Tasks and Considerations, page 88 --

One of the major areas of consideration in the LOAC is that of targeting. There are few absolutes in targeting, but the application of the general principles applies. Commanders must confirm that targets support military objectives. The following may be considered to be in that category: (1) members of the armed forces having the status of combatants; (2) noncombatants who, lose their protected status by taking a direct part in hostilities; (3) objects that by their nature, location, purpose, or use are either military property, or they contribute to the adversary's war effort, and their destruction provides a military advantage. Although civilians, non-combatants and civilian property, may not be specifically targeted, incidental injury and collateral damage are not unlawful if: caused incident to an attack on a lawful target, and the incidental injury and collateral damage are not excessive in light of the anticipated military advantage from the attack. Targeting issues are important not only in urban combat operations, but also in unconventional situations where an adversary, in violation of the LOAC, may use civilians to mask attacks or as unlawful combatants.

The words 'collateral damage' mean death, but I cannot understand why soldiers refuse to use the word 'death'. If politicians and bureaucrats want to try to deceive themselves and the world by disguising the plain and horrible fact that people die violently and are maimed in war, both by intention and in error, then let them. But soldiers should face reality.

What has happened to the US Army in Iraq?
By Brian Cloughley - 8/19/03  

"Summary justice for the Vietcong's guerrilla tactics"
Feb. 1968 - Execution in the streets of Saigon, near U.S. embassy.

  «« click on pic to enlarge
June 1972 - A napalm attack in Vietnam
Nine-year-old girl, Kim Phuc, fleeing her village after attack –
a picture that won Nick Ut a Pulitzer prize.

Vietnam Revisited