Is the New U.S. ‘Law of War Manual’ Actually ‘Hitlerian’?
The Obama U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has quietly issued its important Law of War Manual,
and, unlike its predecessor, the 1956 U.S. Army Field Manual, which was
not designed to approve of the worst practices by both the United
States and its enemies in World War II, or after 9/11, this new document
has been alleged specifically to do just that: to allow such attacks as
the United States did on Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, and in Iraq,
and elsewhere.
and, unlike its predecessor, the 1956 U.S. Army Field Manual, which was
not designed to approve of the worst practices by both the United
States and its enemies in World War II, or after 9/11, this new document
has been alleged specifically to do just that: to allow such attacks as
the United States did on Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, and in Iraq,
and elsewhere.
First
here will be a summary of previous news reports about this historically
important document; then, extensive quotations from the actual document
itself will be provided, relating to the allegations in those previous
news reports. Finally will be conclusions regarding whether, or the
extent to which, those earlier news reports about it were true.
here will be a summary of previous news reports about this historically
important document; then, extensive quotations from the actual document
itself will be provided, relating to the allegations in those previous
news reports. Finally will be conclusions regarding whether, or the
extent to which, those earlier news reports about it were true.
EARLIER REPORTS ABOUT THE MANUAL:
The
document was first reported by DoD in a curt press release on June
12th, with a short-lived link to the source-document, and headlined, “DoD Announces New Law of War Manual.” This press release was published and discussed only in a few military newsmedia, not in the general press.
document was first reported by DoD in a curt press release on June
12th, with a short-lived link to the source-document, and headlined, “DoD Announces New Law of War Manual.” This press release was published and discussed only in a few military newsmedia, not in the general press.
The document was then anonymously reported on June 25th, at the non-military site,
under
the headline, “The USA writes their own version of ‘International Law’:
Pentagon Rewrites ‘Law of War’ Declaring ‘Belligerent’ Journalists as
Legitimate Targets.”
the headline, “The USA writes their own version of ‘International Law’:
Pentagon Rewrites ‘Law of War’ Declaring ‘Belligerent’ Journalists as
Legitimate Targets.”
That
news article attracted some attention from journalists, but no link was
provided to the actual document, which the U.S. DoD removed promptly
after issuing it.
news article attracted some attention from journalists, but no link was
provided to the actual document, which the U.S. DoD removed promptly
after issuing it.
