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Showing posts with label Human Rights - Civilians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Human Rights - Civilians. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

WHITE HOUSE BLATANT DOUBLE STANDARD FOR CIVILIAN CASUALTIES - Those caused by Israel BAD, those caused by the US acceptable, those caused by Hamas, never mind.

The White House changes the rules regarding civilian victims of US bombings after killing women and children.
 
Following reports of civilian casualties from US drone strike in Syria, White House states that "near certainty" policy no longer applies.
 
After sharply criticizing Israel for civilian casualties in its air campaign in Gaza, which the IDF consistently attempted to avoid, the White House has now issued a statement abandoning the strict policies Obama implemented last year to prevent civilian casualties. 
Buildings in the Al-Bab residential district of Aleppo, Syria, are left destroyed by the American-led airstrikes
 Syria - Aleppo residential Al Bab district destroyed by US strikes
 
This statement came in response to questions about reports that as many as a dozen civilians were killed when a Tomahawk missile struck the village of Kafr Daryan in Syria's Idlib province on the morning of September 23. 
At a briefing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week, rebel Syrian commanders described women and children being hauled from the debris after a missile struck.

Search and rescue team members try to rescue a man, trapped under rubble of a building damaged following the American-led coalition's airstrikes  in a residential area of Al-Bab district of Aleppo, Syria 
Civilian casualty of US bombs in Al Bab district of Aleppo
“They were carrying bodies out of the rubble. … I saw seven or eight ambulances coming out of there,” said Abu Abdo Salabman, a political member of one of the Free Syria Army factions. Images of injured children also appeared on YouTube.
The village of Kafr Daryan is a reported stronghold of the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front where US officials believed members of the Khorasan group were planning attacks against international aircrafts.
The Nusra Front, however, is also a sometimes ally of the US-backed rebels, contributing to the controversy of this strike. 
Caitlin Hayden, a National Security Council official, told Yahoo News that Pentagon officials “take all credible allegations seriously and will investigate."  
At the same time, Hayden stated that the White House policy disallowing US drone strikes unless there is a “near certainty” there will be no civilian casualties does not apply to current US airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

Friday, September 26, 2014

MORE SIGNS THAT TURKEY MAY BE SECRETLY SUPPORTING ISIS - it is preventing Kurdish men in Turkey from crossing the border into Syria to fight ISIS - While it deploys tanks to prevent Kurdish women and children fleeing ISIS from seeking refugee in Turkey

UPDATE
 
Violence erupts on Turkey-Syria border as Kurds on both sides tear down fences to let refugees flee and fighters cross to take on ISIS.
 
Breaking down barriers: Kurds from Turkey (left) and Syria pull down border fences near the Turkish town of Suruc to allow them to join an alliance to fight Islamic State
Hundreds of Turkish and Syrian Kurds tore down border fences and clashed with riot police in a show of solidarity in the fight against ISIS as the terror group tightened its siege on a strategic town.
 
Unarmed protesters who had gathered on the Turkish side of the border in support of Syrian Kurds rushed towards Kobani in an apparent bid to defend it from the Sunni militants.
 
The group, including pro-Kurdish politicians from Turkey, later gathered on a railway line on the Syrian side of the border, clashing with Turkish security forces who fired tear gas and were initially reluctant to let them back in.
 
It came as Islamic State fighters moved closer to Kobani after pushing back Kurdish forces and sending shells into Turkish territory, witnesses said.
 
U.S.-led air strikes have targeted Islamic State fighters elsewhere in Syria but some Kurdish military officials have said they made the situation in Kobani more precarious by pushing the Sunni insurgents towards the Turkish border.
 
The Sunni Muslim insurgents, who launched their assault on Kobani more than a week ago, besieging it from three sides, took control of high ground to the west of the town and a village to the east in fierce fighting. 

The latest statement from the PKK leadership in the Qandil mountains of northern Iraq ratcheted up its already fierce criticism of the Turkish government, accusing it of a 'declaration of war' on the Kurdish people.
 
'There is a big explosion of anger and rebellion against Turkey among all Kurdistan's people,' it said in a statement. 'Getting ISIL to attack a small autonomous region like Kobani which only has a frontier into Turkey was the final straw.'
 
 
On this page: 
  • While Turkey allows Turks to cross border to join jihadists, it prevents Turkish Kurds from leaving to fight ISIS.
  • Turkey deploys tanks at the border to stop more Kurdish refugees fleeing ISIS terror from seeking refuge in Turkey.
  • Kurds accuse Turkey of secretly supporting ISIS.  Both envision a Caliphate.
  • The West denies proper weapons to Kurds to prevent them from seeking independence once this conflict is over.  The West would rather see Kurds die.
  • West motivated by its desire to appease Muslim countries. Kurds live in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria.  Thirty million still without a country of their own.
  • Turkey - ISIS' secret ally?  Evidence that they have a secret understanding.
  • More information on Kurds and Kurdistan.
  • Photos of modern Kurdistan in Iraq
  • Links to Kurdistan news 
 
Kurds suspect Turkey of backing Islamic State (ISIS)
 
Turkey and its Kurdish population — for decades in conflict — suddenly find themselves facing a common enemy in the Islamic State group. So it may reasonable to expect prospects for long elusive peace between Turkey and Kurdish rebels to improve.


Dangerous: While thousands attempt to make their escape from Syria, soldiers try to restrain Turkish Kurds from crossing the opposite way to fight against IS 
 While thousands attempt to make their escape from Syria, soldiers try to restrain Turkish Kurds from crossing the opposite way to fight against IS

Kurds who are arriving by the busload to join the battle are increasingly angry at a wary Turkish government trying to prevent them from crossing the border to defend Syrian Kurds from an onslaught that has left countless dead and about 150,000 fleeing into Turkey in recent days.
 
Kurdish leaders have warned that the discord could kill a peace process to end a bloody three-decade conflict over Kurdish autonomy in Turkey.
Continued

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

PALESTINIAN DELEGATE TO THE UNHRC ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HAMAS TARGETING OF ISRAELI CIVILIANS IS A WAR CRIME - HAMAS use of human shields

Why so many civilians get killed in Gaza but not in Israel?




The Israeli army does what NO OTHER army has ever done:  it gives prior notice to people in the target area to leave the site. 

HOWEVER, Hamas needs victims for propaganda purposes, so it tells victims to remain where they are.  Not only that, but Hamas selects private homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques to stash their arsenal and to position their rocket launchers. 
 
In other words, while Israel provides shelter for its people, Hamas uses them as shields and victims for war propaganda.

Cartoon above:  Branco, Legal Insurrection http://legalinsurrection.com/
 
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Palestinian envoy to the UNHRC: 
Israelis warn civilians before the attacks.  We don't.