From ABC Online
The United States has conceded its military coalition may have been responsible for the deaths of at least 14 civilians in a Baghdad marketplace by targeting an Iraqi missile launcher.
Mr Howard says he believes the US did not intend to cause the deaths.
"On the information in my possession I am satisfied the incident was not the result of deliberate targeting of civilians by the United States or of an indiscriminate bombing policy," he said.
Thank goodness for that clarification, without it (given US military officials are quoted as saying they targeted the missile and rocket launchers which were located less than 100 metres from a populated area) I might have been a little confused.
I have little doubt it wasn't deliberate targetting of civilians. But it would appear that the decision was made to target military facilities in the knowledge that they were so close to a civilian area. Possibly some might say that the missile and rocket launchers were there to try to protect nearby areas?
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home