Amnesty says Iraqi Insurgents are war criminals for targeting civilians

[Charlie Brown]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB9NN3RWBE.html

LONDON (AP) - Armed groups in Iraq that oppose the U.S.-led coalition are committing war crimes by killing civilians, taking hostages and torturing and slaying defenseless prisoners, the human rights group Amnesty International said.

The London-based organization also said it recognized that many Iraqis believe U.S.-led troops also have committed grave human rights violations. But it denounced the Iraqi insurgents for a "failure to abide by even the most basic standards of humanitarian law."

"There is no honor nor heroism in blowing up people going to pray or murdering a terrified hostage. Those carrying out such acts are criminals, nothing less, whose actions undermine any claim they may have to be pursuing a legitimate cause," Amnesty said.

[applegrove]

1. Yup. No excuse for anyone targetting civilians. Ever!

[DesEtoiles]

2. Wow. I wonder who else has targeted, OR HIT REPEATEDLY, civilians.

[Vogon_Glory]

3. Amnesty International Is Right, Of Course

Amnesty International is right on these issues, of course. Killing civilian bystanders, taking and killing hostages, and torturing and slaying defenseless prisoners are war crimes and the people doing this should be tried and punished.

I opposed Generalissimo Gee Dubya's invasion of Iraq. I still oppose the war. I also think that the American voters who voted to allow the fools who led us into this war to remain in office made a terrible mistake. But it doesn't mean that I've kitted out many of the murdering thugs who wreak such atrocities on the Iraqis with cardboard wings and little tin halos.

[Oerdin]

4. Why did it take 2 years?

I'm glad to see Amnesty International has taken a public stand on this issue but I know people have been pressuring them to do so for the last two years (basically since the insurgency realy got going and car bombs became one of their major weapons). I wonder why it took them so long to take a step which is so obvious. It's clear that gitmo is wrong but it is equally clear that war crimes are being commited by insurgents as well.

It's good to see AI is getting off the fence especially since not doing so previously opened them up to right wing attacks that AI was politically biased. This will take away one of their lead anti-AI talking points.

[eagler]

5. Do ya really think they care?

nt

[Disturbed]

6. I agree but are all Insurgents...

targeting civilians &/or taking hostages? I hope that al Sadr's malitia aren't included in this group because as far as I have been able to find out his malitia has not commited such acts. Bombing police stations and Military is not terrorism in my view although I don't condone that either. Terrorism and War Crimes should never be sanctioned, of course and perps should be tried and punished. To paint all Insurgents with a broad brush is fair either.

[manic expression]

9. True, there are MANY different factions

in the insurgency, with a very diverse set of goals. Mostly, foreign terrorists use suicide bombings, which usually kill civilians. Other tactics are used by other groups. It is a lot more complicated than "the insurgency", and Amnesty International is not able to see that.

[pretzel4gore]

7. sometimes liberalism is embarrassing....

amnesty international has functioned during some terrible terrible events....in the 90's, during algerian troubles, muslin extremists were routinely murdering bunches of civilians (and presumeably, the secular regime was blaming 'terrorist' for what they themselves had done, so it was not that simple)...i recall a tiny 'filler' type piece in a newspaper that said, in effect, 'islamic gunmen stop bus, execute 100 villagers'....this included women and children, and one mother with her infant! for wearing dresses and listening to music! Every couple weeks, another such story flitted across the news, but as the US at the time was still allied with the 'muslim extremists' from the time in afghanistan fighting the soviet, the filler bits were ho-hummed, ignored.....why didn't someone, anyone, even amnesty international, simply publish photos of the bodies of the 'women and kids' including infants in all their horror? They don't want to upset the cud chewing herd? in rwanda, why weren't pics of the atriocities published, before it became a country wide pogrom? what the hell has amnesty international been doing these last 30 years? Why politicise the western antiwar movement by lumping in the atrocities of the resistance with the main cause of the problem?

[IndianaGreen]

8. As are the US Generals that ordered "Shock and Awe"

When it comes time to hang war criminals, let's start with our own!

[bluestateguy]

10. They have to follow the rules too

Some people will make excuses for them. I will not. There is no doubt that the US has broken many rules of warfare in the Iraq war, but that should not excuse the other side from breaking the rules either.

"But he did it too!" is not an excuse, and in fact is a very childish line of argument.

[niallmac]

11. Indeed. Don't forget also; War in general is a bunch of crap.

It serves our commander and thief well though. He couldn't lead a dog on a leash but he can pander to the basest human emotions; fear anger hatred paranoia xenophobia...others?
To be led to war by a village idiot. It is such a disgrace, an embarrassment, such a trajedy. History will be shaking its head.

[bvar22]

12. I also will not defend those targeting civilians...

Iraqi or US.

How sure are you that these crimes are being committd by the Iraqi Resistance and not the foreign terrorists that the American
Invasion has let into Iraq?

AI used a very broad brush to target the entire Iraqi Resistance.
There were NO car bombings in Iraq before the US Invaded!!!!
Now, who is ultimately responsible for the Car Bombings and the deaths of innocent Iraqi civilians?