UN Report: Replace “U.S.” with “Israel,” and This Will Sound Familiar

Dumeetha Luthra, reporting from Kabul, writes in The London Times:

“AMERICAN forces may have breached human rights and then removed evidence after the so-called wedding party air strike … according to a draft UN report seen by The Times. A preliminary UN investigation has found no corroboration of American claims … and says there were discrepancies in U.S. accounts … If the findings are upheld by a second, more detailed, UN investigation, they will cause huge embarrassment to the Pentagon.”

Dumeetha Luthra, reporting from Kabul, writes in The London Times:

“AMERICAN forces may have breached human rights and then removed evidence after the so-called wedding party air strike … according to a draft UN report seen by The Times. A preliminary UN investigation has found no corroboration of American claims … and says there were discrepancies in U.S. accounts … If the findings are upheld by a second, more detailed, UN investigation, they will cause huge embarrassment to the Pentagon.”

You can almost hear those UN guys chortling with glee over the Pentagon’s presumed future embarrassment. The article continues:

“UN sources said that the findings pointed to an American cover-up, and suggested that American investigators were dragging their feet hoping that the issue would pass …”

“A UN source said that the report was produced by a team of ‘experienced and reputable UN people, who have been in the region a while and know it well’. It states … clear evidence that human rights violations had taken place and that coalition forces had arrived on the scene very quickly after the air strikes and ‘cleaned the area’, removing evidence of ‘shrapnel, bullets and traces of blood’. Women on the scene had their hands tied behind their backs …”

“The statement added, ‘The findings on the ground bear out the paramount necessity that such incidents do not recur, both from a humanitarian and political perspective’ … (The report) called for ‘an in-depth investigation … to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated; and the protection of civilian lives becomes a primary concern in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan’.”

The Pentagon disclaimer was duly noted at the end of the article, but noted with the same air of impatient disbelief as comments by the Government of Israel receive:

“Pentagon officials have said that cameras fixed to the AC-130’s gun turrets showed gunfire coming from the ground, but the Pentagon has not released the film, as it has on previous occasions, preventing independent analysis of whether it was anti-aircraft artillery or celebratory rifle fire.

“The Pentagon declined to comment on the UN report, but said all matters arising from the incident were under consideration by U.S. Central Command and that charges against the servicemen involved had not been ruled out.”

“Pentagon officials said … but …” “Declined to comment … but …” “Preventing independent analysis …” “Charges against servicemen …” It all has a familiar ring.

There is no immaculate war, and certainly in this war in which terrorists hide among civilians, there will be unintended casualties. Our government, like Israel, takes great pains to minimize them, but don’t expect much understanding from the UN crowd.

In 1982, during Israel’s Operation Peace for Galilee, a French reporter agreed that Israel had done Lebanon a service by evicting the PLO, but wished it could have been done without the bombs. An American observed, “We could have invaded Normandy without the bombs, too, but it wouldn’t have had the same effect.”

Point taken.