Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Go Figure: HRW'S Marc Garlasco Sees Eye To Eye With The IDF

Who would have thought that Marc Garlasco was so knowledgeable and perceptive? Upon being accused of war crimes for the part he played in 2003 while with the Pentagon--he recommended a target that resulted in the killing of civilians--Garlasco responds:

I did work in the Pentagon recommending targets for the Iraq aerial war in 2003. But I didn't try to kill civilians; quite the opposite. I focused on military targets and tried my very best every day to minimize civilian casualties -- as required by the Geneva Conventions. But I have to live with the fact that, even so, many civilians died in those attacks.

If Ayers studied the laws of war he would know that they don't say civilians can never be killed in conflict; they require military forces to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian property, and never to place military advantage above excessive civilian damage. [emphasis added]

Of course, the problem is that Garlasco does not see fit to apply to Israel the same standards he demands be applied to himself.

When Garlasco does criticize Israel, it is only right to demand from him that he use the same criteria that he accords himself, but also substantive proof when he claims it does not apply.

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