12 Children killed in a NATO issued airstrike in Afghanistan

[N-7]

Unmanned air-strikes "drones," have been condemned internationally as ineffective tools of war that cause massive number of civilian causalities where sometimes the number of civilian causalities significantly exceeds the number of militants killed. This air-strike is no different to what is a daily occurrence in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and to some extent Iraq. 12 innocent children were killed (amongst other civilian causalities) due to a NATO issued air strike.

What will probably happen? The NATO will "investigate" the "accident" and nothing will come out of it. 12 children dead and no one cares about bringing justice to their families. I personally would like to see that the one who issued the strike be bought in to court to answer for his crimes.

~snipped~
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Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/afghan-governm...183715145.html
http://rt.com/news/afghanistan-nato-...-children-460/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ghanistan.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-p...422926374.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22058455
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/wo...anted=all&_r=0
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93605920130407

For an idea of how many civilians were killed by NATO forces in Afghanistan, one can look at this Wiki entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilia...%80%93present)

"With by far the most comprehensive research into Afghan civilian casualties,[44] Professor Marc W. Herold of the University of New Hampshire estimated in September 2007 that between 5,700 and 6,500 Afghan civilians had been killed so far in the war by American and NATO military forces.[45] He stressed that this was an "absolute minimum" and probably "a vast underestimate" because the figures do not include:

the dead among the tens of thousands of Afghans displaced during the initial military operation in 2001-2002, who ended up in refugee camps or elsewhere with little or no supplies for long periods;
civilian victims of U.S./NATO bombing in mountainous areas, which have few or no communications links or which the U.S./NATO forces "cordon off as part of news management";
and civilians that did not die immediately at the scene but died later of their injuries."

* A full list of causalities is included in the Wiki page.

Warning: Please do not insert potentially upsetting pictures into your post

[Deleted]

inb4 "casualties of war"

It's fucked up honestly, i thought the entire principle of unmanned drones was to reduce casualties on both sides?

[Agrias-Oaks]

inb4 "casualties of war"

It's fucked up honestly, i thought the entire principle of unmanned drones was to reduce casualties on both sides?

it's to reduce pilot casualties.

[N-7]

inb4 "casualties of war"

It's fucked up honestly, i thought the entire principle of unmanned drones was to reduce casualties on both sides?

Well, yes and no, it is goal is to reduce causalities but not on both sides (only the NATO side apparently).

[Wilian]

And then they wonder why terrorists breed.

It's the hate on the western freedoms of course.

[Rukentuts]

I really don't get why people dwell on "drones". They're piloted aircraft.

[N-7]

I really don't get why people dwell on "drones". They're piloted aircraft.

Because of the high collateral damage percentage that goes with it?

[Wilian]

I really don't get why people dwell on "drones". They're piloted aircraft.

It's mostly because it almoust entirely removes the human aspect of it, after which it's easier to start to see enemies more as an objects on screen than just human beings.

[Symphonic]

I blame the President of the United States. I also blame any of these types of strikes on civilians during other presidencies as well.

[Mindstripper]

See, the thing that everybody who calls "war crimes" every time there are civilian casualties forgets is that THIS. IS. WAR. Civilians die in war. People die in war. That's why war is so horrible and that's why its a last resort. The point of war is pure unadulterated violence and annihilation in order to force the other side into submission or destruction. Civilian casualties happen. It's happened in every war since the beginning of time, and it will continue to happen. Deal with it.

[Rukentuts]

It's mostly because it almoust entirely removes the human aspect of it, after which it's easier to start to see enemies more as an objects on screen than just human beings.

Um, you don't see the enemies you bomb when you're in a F-16 anyway. You're sort of at altitude brah.

They're called "guided ordinance" for a reason.

[Deleted]

Americant... They hunger for blood too much! End the war already jesus.

[N-7]

See, the thing that everybody who calls "war crimes" every time there civilian casualties is that THIS. IS. WAR. Civilians die in war. People die in war. That's why war is so horrible and that's why its a last resort. The point of war is pure unadulterated violence and annihilation in order to force the other side into submission or destruction. Civilian casualties happen. It's happened in every war since the beginning of time, and it will continue to happen. Deal with it.

By this argument you're also OKAY with terrorist attacks against the USA/UK or any western country that is in war with Al-Qaeda? Since it is you know WAR. The magical word that makes any heinous and unacceptable act acceptable.

[Rukentuts]

It's mostly because it almoust entirely removes the human aspect of it, after which it's easier to start to see enemies more as an objects on screen than just human beings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsA9VtQ_uLg

Was that a drone? Oh wait, it's an AC130.

[N-7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsA9VtQ_uLg

Was that a drone? Oh wait, it's an AC130.

You still haven't addressed the high drone strike civilian death rate.

[manipulation]

That picture makes me sick, which is the intent, but you're missing the point of what is going on. The afghans are being supported by the US in a fight against the taliban. What is the #1 tactic of these chickenshits? To hide among the public.

The only way to keep your hands clean is to not interfere, and then you end up with that country being controlled by folks who like to take 12 year old boys as sex slaves to suck on their knob when they get bored. You end up with the folks there living in fear of their lives every day and still end up with dead kids.

Then everyone asks why the US isn't going to help.

There is no clean way to win war anymore, ESPECIALLY when the enemy hides among everyone else. War is just ugly, plain and simple. Anyone who wants to go to war as anything but a last resort is a goddamn fool and this kind of stuff is why. But we're at war, it's the last resort and 12 dead kids is just awful but unavoidable. A US citizen died in that same strike.

[Deleted]

See, the thing that everybody who calls "war crimes" every time there are civilian casualties forgets is that THIS. IS. WAR. Civilians die in war. People die in war. That's why war is so horrible and that's why its a last resort. The point of war is pure unadulterated violence and annihilation in order to force the other side into submission or destruction. Civilian casualties happen. It's happened in every war since the beginning of time, and it will continue to happen. Deal with it.

This is War ??? This is not a War this is Terrorism

[Deleted]

Sorry but it happens and it will continue to happen for the rest of human existence, ya want to stop wars get rid of politicians/goverments and religion, nah scrap that there ll always be wars and there ll always be victims of it.
What can we do about it? Easy nothing as there s nothing we can do that ll stop it.

[Rukentuts]

You still haven't addressed the high drone strike civilian death rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilia...es_in_Pakistan

Consider it false.

An ongoing study by the New America Foundation finds non-militant casualty rates started high but have declined steeply over time, from about 60% (3 out of 5) in 2004-2007 to less than 2% (1 out of 50) in 2012.

Any other myths I can debunk today?

[Bakis]

What else is new, US administration doesnt care care shit as long as their soldiers are safe.
At least the drones used on order by the US army can be held acountable to some degree, the problem is that the White House also go through CIA which contract it out to private security companies as well which cant be held accountable.
There is no transperancy at all regarding those hence they can get away with anything.

Sum of it all, the Bush & Obama administrations play by the rules that as long as US lives are not put in danger anything can be brushed off as collateral damage, at least to the people at home.