Voice from the Commonwealth Commentary, World Views and Occasional Rants from a small 'l' libertarian in Massachussetts
"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest for freedom, go home and leave us in peace. We seek not your council nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams
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Praise for Voice
"A smart fellow...I do like, recommend and learn from Barbera's blog." -Roger L. Simon
"Your blog is bullshit"- anonymous angry French reader.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is claiming that the US violated the Geneva Convention. They claim the US is purposely targeting journalists. At no point do I see them acknowledge that being in a warzone and specifically working in the area controlled by a regime known to use civilians, and anyone else they can, as human shields may lead them to be endangered.
"At his Centcom briefing today in Doha, Qatar, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks said that while embedded journalists receive protection from the military, those who operate as non-embeds do so at their own risk."
Is there something wrong with this statement? A 'unilateral' reporter who's vehicle was attacked by Iraqi forces was givenprotection by US troops. Meanwhile, Iraqi forces kidnapped and held a group of other reporters and locked others in a prison. Which side is not protecting journalists?
"While sources in Baghdad have expressed deep skepticism about reports that U.S. forces were fired upon from the Palestine Hotel, even if that were the case, the evidence suggests that the response of U.S. forces was disproportionate and therefore violated international humanitarian law."
Even if that were the case? They are saying that soldiers should die even if journalists are being used as cover to put an operation in risk. Again it comes down to responsibility. These people, while brave and doing things I proabably would not, believe that under no circumstances whould their lives ever be in danger. Ifthey walk onto the battlefield it is incumbent upon the US (but apparently, not Iraq) to make sure that their safety is assured. The reporters cannot be held accountable for putting himself in an inherently dangerous position.
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