via McClatchy.com
GAZIANTEP, TURKEY — A U.S.-led coalition airstrike killed at least 50 Syrian civilians late last month when it targeted a headquarters of Islamic State extremists in northern Syria, according to an eyewitness and a Syrian opposition human rights organization.This has been a private irritation for me for quite awhile.
The civilians were being held in a makeshift jail in the town of Al Bab, close to the Turkish border, when the aircraft struck on the evening of Dec. 28, the witnesses said. The building, called the Al Saraya, a government center, was leveled in the airstrike. It was days before civil defense workers could dig out the victims’ bodies.
The U.S. Central Command, which had not previously announced the airstrike, confirmed the attack Saturday in response to repeated McClatchy inquiries. “Coalition aircraft did strike and destroy an ISIL headquarters building in Al Bab on Dec. 28,” Col. Patrick S. Ryder said in an email.
He said a review of the airstrike showed no evidence of civilian casualties but offered to examine any additional information, “since we take all allegations seriously.” ISIL is an alternative name for the Islamic State.
U.S. officials acknowledged for the first time last week that they are investigating “at least a few” claims of civilian casualties as a result of airstrikes on Syria. “This is something we always take seriously,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby. “We are very mindful of trying to mitigate the risk to civilians every time we operate, everywhere we operate.”
Tremendous successes by US forces are watered down and instead the "coalition" is given credit. Tremendous failures occur and it becomes "the US-led coalition".
Don't get me wrong. I'm sorry if 50 people died in an airstrike, but war is war and no matter how much some want it to be painless it never will be. People will die. Innocent people will die. Its always been that way and always will be that way.
But I know for a fact that US forces will go out of their way to avoid those type casualties. I'm not so sure that some members of the coalition feel the same way.
Who am I talking about? Well I'm not talking about Canada, Australia, France or the other European countries that are launching strikes with us. I am pointing a finger at some of our Middle Eastern allies that have joined the fray.
Central Command and the Pentagon need to stop sullying the US' reputation and state plainly whether a US jet caused the deaths or not. If we didn't (and I suspect they didn't) then you don't have to name the country...just make it clear that we didn't do the deed.
"But I know for a fact that US forces will go out of their way to avoid those type casualties."
ReplyDeleteMistakes still happened in an all american unit.. how many wedding parties have been misidentified and bombed ? sure they are not american civilians , but they are also innocent human beings who become another statistic in collateral damage list.. We all horrified to see civilians gunned down by terrorist , but on the flip side how loud is our voice when non american / non western civilians got killed by mistake ? it is sobering reminder of our humanity and our capacity to symphatize with powerless civilians everywhere..
"Who am I talking about? Well I'm not talking about Canada, Australia, France or the other European countries that are launching strikes with us. I am pointing a finger at some of our Middle Eastern allies that have joined the fray."
this is rather petty statement, implying that professional pilots from middle east dont care about civilian casualties like weaterner did.. these middle east pilots are still human being with conscience right ? they maybe different culture or religion, but a loss of life from mistaken bombing is still a loss of life ...
not petty at all. and the drone strikes don't count. if you've been following the situation with the drones then you know that's a Presidential decision on almost everyone of them. if you don't like wedding parties getting zapped then blame the guy you awarded a Noble Peace Prize to.
Deletebut back to the coalition airstrikes. when you're in a coalition the nations involved and more specifically the pilots are the final "deciders" they can try and route everything thru a unified command structure but if you're from ... lets say Jordan and you have fangs out and you're going after a target that you know has terrorist in it but the Americans are trying to call you off. do you? or do you press the attack sure in the knowledge that your leadership will have no issue with it and no punishment will result?
i have views of the world that i would like to be true. i have things that are important to me that i wish were a different way. if i dare to look at them realistically though the truth is obvious. you might not like it but there are different standards of behavior in military forces. sidenote. if you don't like the idea of me saying that our Middle Eastern allies aren't professional (and that's the end state of whats being discussed here) then explain the failure that we've seen constantly on their part. explain to me how an Iraqi Army could evaporate facing what would be considered a couple of battalions worth of troops. they suck. sorry if you don't like it but this is a reality i can stare straight in the face and not blink.
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DeleteI have a slightly different view on it, even though I agree with the baseline: if you fight together in a coalition, you got to make sure everybody is upholding the same standards as to rules of engagement.
DeleteThe thing is, even if the US distance themselves from any wrongdoing, they would still be held responsible by the ennemy, on the rationale that the US is leading the coalition and is the main responsible. Do or don't, you're damned anyway ...
But what I really wonder about is the credit that we can give this story. First of all, the Syrian Network for Human Rights is infatuated to various rebel groups and Djihadi factions in the Syrian civil war. They call themselves independent opposition, while in fact they're basically one guy operating from a london back-office compiling reports he has no way of corroborating and confirming (or denying), basically he just publishes whatever suits his plan or that of his handlers.
So basically, it's perfectly possible that this is part of an attempt at intoxicating western media and public opinion, while driving a wedge between the US and some of the middle-eastern countries taking part of the coalition, and more widely it could be seen as part of ISIS campaign at discrediting the coalition in the eyes of populations in the middle-east ... they won't be too hard to convince this was "yet another" US-led atrocity.
On the other hand, the account might be true .. in which case, there are 25 ISIS fighters less on this planet, + about 30 fighters from other rebel groups and 25 civilians that were also hit. This would be unfortunate and should of course be avoided, but you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs first.
Let's review the whole thing and see if there's anything to change. Not sure there is.
Solomon, a leader is responsible for everything their unit does, or fails to do. If we are truly leading a coalition, then no matter who the pilot was, no matter who manufactured the ordnance that was dropped, we bear the responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI don't recommend diming out someone who falls under our leadership, was tasked with a target from our targeting cycle, and executed a mission on our behalf. Those people deserve our loyalty even if they screwed up, because they showed up. We are an all volunteer force leading an all volunteer coalition, but not every Soldier in that coalition is a volunteer.
If we poison a relationship now, it won't be there the next time we need a coalition of the willing. Having allies is tough. Keeping allies is tougher. Actually working together is difficult even under the best of times. But it is the only way that organizations like NATO can actually keep peace.
Gung Ho means "work together." And when you are a leader that means you take all the blame, and give all the credit to those who did the heavy lifting.