Washington and its “Collateral Damage”
Less than a week ago US Air Force bombed
a hospital in Afghanistan that was run by Doctors Without Borders
(MSF). At the time of the bombing there were 105 patients and local
employees, along with 80 members of MSF personnel in the hospital
located in the town of Kunduz. A number of media sources reported that
US military command was well aware of the coordinates of the hospital,
however, even when the local staff contacted a NATO representative in
Kabul and informed him of the attack, bombs were still hitting the area
for more than an hour.
On the same day a NATO spokesman
described the incident as “side effect” of the US military operation,
that allegedly was not targeting the hospital, hence it was
“accidentally hit.” Nevertheless, the official failed to provide
journalist with details on what exactly the US aircraft was supposed to
destroy. After all, according to MSF personnel, at the time of bombing
Taliban militants were nowhere near the hospital
described the incident as “side effect” of the US military operation,
that allegedly was not targeting the hospital, hence it was
“accidentally hit.” Nevertheless, the official failed to provide
journalist with details on what exactly the US aircraft was supposed to
destroy. After all, according to MSF personnel, at the time of bombing
Taliban militants were nowhere near the hospital
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein on
October 3 urged the international community to carry out a full
investigation of the air strikes in question. And if it is to
established that the hospital was struck intentionally, it would be only
logical to label this act as a war crime. UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon said that the hospital and its medical staff are protected by
international law, and those responsible should answer for this bombing.
There’s still hope that war the war criminals behind this attack won’t
be able to escape the prosecution easily.
October 3 urged the international community to carry out a full
investigation of the air strikes in question. And if it is to
established that the hospital was struck intentionally, it would be only
logical to label this act as a war crime. UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon said that the hospital and its medical staff are protected by
international law, and those responsible should answer for this bombing.
There’s still hope that war the war criminals behind this attack won’t
be able to escape the prosecution easily.
