Human Shields and Choice

[WarBlade]

I don't think that shows the US has a callous disregard for human life.

Really?

Let's see . . .

In the heart of my city about 5 minutes walk up the hill from What I presume is the densest shopping district in the country sits the TVNZ building. The top of this is packed with various communications transmitters and recievers. By the quotes you presented above this structure would appear to fit the profile of a legitimate military target to an American bomber (assuming of course spyplane-only intelligence as per the Iraq situation). Bearing in mind the heavy foot traffic passing just outside the building, I find myself thinking that a "callous disregard for human life" is exactly what a bombing on it would be.

On the contrary, if they did they would not have changed their behavior, or even used any precision weapons.  Their intelligence assessment was wrong.  Does that mean they should not have dropped that bomb?  I don't know, but I suspect that even there was a 50/50 chance it was a military C&C site, you would still bomb it.

If it was a 50/50 chance based on a remote concrete bunker out in the middle of a desert surrounded by razor wire, maybe. A 50/50 chance anywhere inside a city?

Bugger that.

There are always options and blunders can be avoided if people operate with strong precautionary measures. Picking a city based target because it has some microwave emissions is stupidity deserving a strong reprimand IMO.