Friday, May 06, 2005
Predictable but sad
Probably most people have seen the pictures of wounded Iraqi insurgents being murdered in cold blood by US marines. Video clearly showed the insurgents laying there, not moving, and then being shot for no appearent reason. It would have been nice if there had been at least some semblence of justice in this case and at least some punishment meeted out for this flagrant violation of the rules of war and human rights. But it was not to be.
Quite predictably, a US military "investigation" absolved the Marines involved of any wrong doing.
Unfortunately, we have seen this before. And the M.O. is by now quite clear. After some uncomfortable incident comes to light and can't be denied - because there are pictures of it or witnesses that can't be discredited - then this M.O. kicks in. Say that one shouldn't pre-judge the facts, that an investigation will be launched, make sure the "investigation" takes at least 6 months so that the incident is largely forgotten, and then announce the results in as low key way as possible. In this way the U.S. military is off the hook with little risk of outcry.
Saddest of all, this M.O. seems to work. Thats why they keep using it.
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