Thursday, March 31, 2011

David Kirkpatrick does not believe that US bombs can ever kill civilians

"Standing at the grave of an 18-month-old baby on Wednesday, officials of the Qaddafi government presented the first specific and credible case of a civilian death caused by Western airstrikes.  But relatives speaking a few yards away said they blamed Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and welcomed the bombs.  “No, no, no, this is not from NATO,” one relative said, speaking quietly and on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. "  OK, Mr. Kirkpatrick.  What is your point? That US bombs don't have a history of killing many, many civilians, or that those civilian casualties of US bombing should always be dismissed because the US missions are always noble? Yes, Qadhdhafi regime lies but it is not difficult to expect, not imagine, the high toll of US bombings on civilians because we have seen those effects in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places, like Yemen and Somalia and elsewhere.   And then you want to reassure your readers that even if they were killed by US bombs, it does not matter because families of vicitims "welcome" the bombs, and that Arab mothers would be honored if they children are killed by US bombs.  Are you aware how ridiculous your piece and that opening paragraph in particular sound?