Friday, September 25, 2009

What Would Justice Richard Goldstone Say?

I think the US officials reviewing the Goldstone Report and its ramifications should read this item carefully and perhaps ask the same questions I did before they find themselves in a new Goldstone report:

...Qari Hussain Mehsud, known for training Taliban suicide bombers, met with an AP reporter Thursday at a secret location in North Waziristan, near the Afghan border, just hours before a U.S. missile strike hit the tribal region and killed 12 people.

The U.S. has launched dozens of missiles to take out top Taliban and al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan's northwest over the past year. Although Pakistan routinely protests the strikes, it is widely believed to secretly cooperate with them.

One such missile strike in August killed Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, and Qari Hussain Mehsud's comments appeared to be the latest attempt by militants to end speculation of a rift among insurgent commanders following the killing.

...The militant commander, who looked to be in his 40s and had a curly black beard and mustache, was surrounded by dozens of other militants and local residents. At one point, he assured those gathered that Islam allowed suicide bombings.


a) the report says "12 people" died.

all civilians? all terrorists? all freedom fighters/resistance fighters, etc.? a mixed bag?

b) US has launched "dozens" of similar attacks. any stats analysis (how many fired, how many killed, identity of killed, military value)?

c) militants, and insurgents used but never terrorists (despite 'e' below)

d) surrounded by citizens. there out of identity, support, curiousity?

e) propagating suicide bombings

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