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Originally Posted by willravel
Engaging an enemy is a horrible reality. Our soldiers had no say in us going to war. They don't deserve to die just as much as the Iraqi nationalists don't deserve to die. Our soldiers are not responsable for what happens with the militant Iraqi soldiers/civilians that choose to use illegal (whether fair or not) methods to try and kill them. The responsibility of the soldiers is simply to follow all legal orders. Yes, these terrible acts were considered a likelyhood from the get-go. That does not mean we are responsable for their actions. We are responsible for our actions, and they are responsible for theirs. If Iraq had signed any rules of engagement or rules of war treaties before this all began, any of these militant forces or people who break those treaties will be guilty of war crimes. It is irrelevant whether it was a last resort or not.
Nationalism is not a get out of jail free card. It is just a reason.
Who do you think is the most responsible for the civilan deaths?
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most assuredly agreed... our soliders did have no say. that's why we're normally a catious, even over-catious nation. it took how long to get in to WW2, with FDR's constant coaxing? it says something very chilling about us as a nation that we've lost our instinctive total aversion to war. individual soliders who follow geneva conventions, rules of engagement, etc...are not responsible for inflicting accidental civilian deaths. Commanders, presidents...the ones who send troops in when they know that civilian death will be the reality, or who send troops in with blind defiance of reality...they bear the moral responsiblity for those deaths.
when you choose to attack an enemy that refuses to abide by standards of war...you must have a crystal clear reason to do so. it is not just enough to prove that you have "a" reason. the war you are about to engage in will be long, difficult, and filled with pointless slaughter. to choose such a course must be one of utter last resort.
not planning for winning the peace is to plan to fight an endless battle of attrition. the "catastrophic sucess" of the intial campaign showed the utter failure to plan for peace. those who chose to ignore that bear most of the responsibility for the ensuing chaos, and deaths.