The West isn't perfect, but we don't "target" civilians when we go to war?

Question

Nobody can claim that Western foreign policy is perfect in regards to the Middle East, in fact sometimes it's just plain stupid. Yet we don't intentionally target civilians when we go to war. We fight governments, soldiers and lately terrorists which despite what some people say, are not soldiers in the traditional form and therefore the Geneva convention does not apply to them. I supported Afghanistan yet am against Iraq. So unlike some people who think we are right in everything we do I know we are not. Yet the one thing all of us in the West can agree on is that we don't intentionally target civilians. Yes civilians die in war it's a fact of life, but unlike the common terrorist we don't see civilians as having targets painted on their backs. People often bad mouth Israel and sometimes it is justified, but I am yet to see an Israeli strap a bomb to their chest and walk into a cafe. They target the men with guns and bombs, not a family sitting down for a cup of coffee. Your views?

Answer 1

You are right on.

Jews who still refuse to believe our Arab enemies, and even side with them against Israel, are in the same position as the super-patriotic German Jews who, in 1933, sent a telegram to Hitler assuring him of their loyalty and describing their services to the German cause in World War I. Hitler ordered their immediate arrest and murder. -In short, the self haters died first.

We Jews have never done one thing to harm or even insult any Arab. We have never shot except in self-defense. The entire war against the Jews of this world is totally and entirely the fault of the bigots and haters of today, aided and abetted by the haters of yesterday.

The “haters of yesterday” are the Europeans who now once more encourage the Arabs to continue their aggression as a sequel to the mass murder of 6 million of our brethren in the European gas ovens between 1933 and 1945.

Once more the so-called European Union finances the Philistines and recently had the gall to demand that they be given a chance to send European “observers” into Israel. Such a demand has only one purpose. Blame the Jews and send in a European army to do the bloody work of the Arabs for them. Israel has rejected that demand and so must we.


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Answer 2

We may not "target" civilians, but the military knows full well a certain number of them will die in any operation. Air strikes are particularly dangerous. Furthermore, some of the methods used in those conflicts could be called "reckless endangerment" - the use of uranium-tipped ammo in many operations comes to mind. Furthermore, the destruction of infrastructure often causes death in other, more horrific ways - such as hospitals going without electricity for a while, displacement, etc... And if your son or daughter died in military air strikes, I doubt it would matter much to you whether they were specifically targeted or not. The fact is whenever we go to war we know there will be a lot of "collateral" damage - a nice euphemism the army and the media use not to upset the viewers at home too much. So that going to war should never be a decision taken lightly.
As far as the fighters in Iraq go, there is clearly a good segment of the population that doesn't want the U.S. there and they are fighting the occupation (Or whatever you want to call it). It would be suicidal for them, given the superiority of U.S. technology, to wear uniforms and stand in ranks. So of course, they are using guerrilla tactics. I think that's simply to be expected. Wars are about getting your enemy to submit through violence. I don't understand why you expect it to be such a pretty thing.

Answer 3

take out the word civilians and put in the word people. People with guns and bombs might not want to be in the situation but are put there by factors such as poverty and a lack of education. Brainwashed and no reason to believe anything other then the people with wallets tell them to believe. We do kill people who fight with no reason but for money. These people are dangerous but at what point should anyone be an enemy if they are only looking out for their family and a better standard of living. The big picture is complex and war should not be the answer to anything that takes complicated solutions. If the people could afford sitting down for a cup of coffee then they wouldn't be an enemy, that could be one part of the solution?

Answer 4

1. During the last attack on Lebanon Israel carpet bombed whole villages. Carpet bombs release little bomlets that are designed to kill or maim people. There is no way Israel can justify carpet bombing whole villages. So they may say, "We are after some group we dont' like.' But in fact, when they carpet bomb, they are about killing indescriminantly. These bomblets are now killing children and farmers and others who accidently step on them etc. If your twon was carpet bombed and maybe 10 soldiers and 500 folks in our neighborhood got killed you would say, "They meant to kill civilians" and you would be right. It is a terroristic tactic design to strike fear into the population. The difference between a "Freedom Fighter" and a "Terrorist" is the Freedom Fighter is on our side and the Terrorist is on their side.

2. I don't think the USA purposefully selects civilians to kill. However, it has become evident that the reason we loose wars lately is because we do kill civilians thus turning the populaiton against us. It is NEVER enough to just write this off as "cilivlians get killed in war." We certainly didn't write it off when 3000 died in N.Y. Why would you think Iraqi's would write off our attacks on their homes, towns, cities and coutry?
We have tried to fight WWII type battles against insurgents, guerilla warfare, etc, It doesn't work. So we bomb whole villages and justify the deaths of the civilians as "collateral damage" So while we do not say "We are going to kill civilians." we certainly go in knowing that we will kill civilians. Where's the line there?

Answer 5

If we lob howitzer rounds at a village, and most we kill are civilians, You can say they weren't intentionally targeted, but howitzers and dumb bombs don't ask whether they are a civilian or not!

If we blow up a village to get a few people who aren't even terrorist anymore, they are in a sectarian civil war, how can you pretend that civilians were not targeted. Who did they think they were going to hit?

The Enola Gay dropped an Atom Bomb! Do you think they didn't intentionally target civilians? They wiped out a whole damn city!

Answer 6

support the worlds troops.

Indiscriminate firing into Lebonese refugee camp. US shipped in a crate load of artillary for that. Gave it to the govt that controls beruit no less. Israel uses low altitude sonic boom as indiscriminate punishment to palestinian people.

Guided missiles- while they can pin point a position very well, they hold large bombs that destroy half a block irregardless if it hits the front door. In the early days, it is said that when an ied went off they would shoot everyone indiscriminantly assuming the person must be near.

Answer 7

The US has most certainly targeted civilians. They have bombed schools, weddings, all manner of civilian things. Dont pretend you guys are any different

Answer 8

And Israel doesn't target civilians?

Answer 9

yEP--ive nvr seen an isrealie get of his tank, leave his buddys and comunications, flak jacket and Weapon---put on a bomb and blow-up.

amazing.

Answer 10

Bush targets anyone who disagrees with him. Hence the patriot act