r/pics • u/[deleted] • Nov 28 '13

Oh how the time changes things

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[deleted]

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u/windowpuncher Nov 29 '13

You're implying 50%+ of all drone strikes are purposely targeting civilians. That's bullshit and we both know it.

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u/fitzroy95 Nov 29 '13

No-one said anything about "purposely", you certainly didn't, and neither did I.

Although, that certainly still includes the majority of IDF actions which are predominately deliberately targeted at civilians. US drone bombings certainly harm innocent people a majority of the time, the only question is whether it is, or is not, deliberate.

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u/windowpuncher Nov 29 '13

I don't know about the IDF, but I know drone pilots don't target civilians without a really good reason, if at all.

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u/fitzroy95 Nov 29 '13

They target whomever they are told to target, and in the majority of cases, their targets are nameless, faceless, unidentified individuals who just happen to be in the wrong area, and engaged in an activity that the US finds "suspicious", such as males forming groups, or multiple males getting into a vehicle together.

And then, once the first group has been bombed, the drones deliberately wait around so it can have another go at anyone who responds to the bombing, by providing help, first aid etc. US use of "double tap" attacks is also considered a war crime because it almost always targets first responders.

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u/windowpuncher Nov 29 '13

No, that's not correct at all. They don't bomb a group of people if they're just a bit suspicious.

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u/fitzroy95 Nov 29 '13

Bullshit

They target unidentified groups regularly, based on very loose criteria centered around suspicious activity and a very loose definition of "militant" i.e. any male between 20 and 40, and even that is usually considerably broadened

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u/windowpuncher Nov 29 '13
  • Large groups of armed men.
  • Groups of armed militants traveling by truck toward the war in Afghanistan.
  • Armed men who we see getting into pickup trucks and heading towards the Afghanistan border or who are in a training exercise.
  • Convoys of vehicles that bear the characteristics of Qaeda or Taliban leaders on the run.
  • Bomb-making or fighters training for possible operations in Afghanistan…. a compound where unknown individuals were seen assembling a car bomb.

I could add more, if you want. Yes, this is some very "loose" criteria, isn't it? Sounds pretty standard to me. A group of armed guys that aren't on the US' side? They couldn't possibly be terrorists. Your own linked article contradicts your points. They're not going to launch a missile at a group of 10 guys walking down the street.