Look, I'm not upset that LaFeminista's diary, MSF: Bombing The Hospital In Kunduz Was A Deliberate Act. Plus My Thoughts got traction today. I'm happy as long as this issue stays in the headlines because I think it's a big deal.
My diary was kind of an action piece to encourage you to call Capitol Hill and put Senators feet to the fire.
On the other hand, I observe from the comments in LaFeminista's diary that some of you are still a little bit confused about what kind of strike this was.
From this morning-
Folks, an AC-130 is a direct fire, close support weapon. You see your target. From the Washington Post-
The aircraft that carried out the weekend attack was an AC-130 gunship, according to Army Gen. John Campbell, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan. Unlike jets, the AC-130 is a unique aircraft dedicated almost entirely to supporting special operations forces.
In order to make sure targeting and communication from the ground to the aircraft is as seamless as possible, every AC-130 flies with a liaison officer that has spent time as a special forces soldier on the ground.
While most jets streak across a target, moving quickly while dropping either bombs or firing fixed weapons like cannons or machine guns, the AC-130 essentially loiters over a target at around 7,000 feet (1.325 miles). It then flies overhead in a circle and fires from weapon ports mounted on the aircraft’s left side.
Unlike other military fixed-wing aircraft, an AC-130 is requested differently. While a jet requires a map coordinate to engage its target, the AC-130 relies on direction (a compass heading) and a distance to the enemy target from the friendly forces engaged on the ground. In short, it relies on visual targeting.
...
“It’s a visual acuity aircraft,” said a U.S. close-air support pilot who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his active duty status. “An AC-130 finds the friendly force then fires over their left or right shoulder.”
The pilot went on to add that an AC-130 does not enter enemy airspace and look for targets. It specifically has to be guided on to the target by a force on the ground and will fire only after identifying friendly and enemy forces, he said.
The aircraft, because of its large profile and the fact that it operates at low altitude, only flies close air support missions at night. Since it only works in the dark, the crew of roughly a dozen uses a number of infrared sensors and night vision devices to see and engage targets on the ground.
Almost everthing else in the Washington Post report is a distraction or a lie. What this proves is they
knew they were attacking a well lit, fully identified hospital under the direction of a United States Forward Air Controller. That's how we roll. Hope you're proud that we deliberately killed 12 Doctors and 10 patients including 3 children.
“An AC-130 finds the friendly force then fires over their left or right shoulder.”
The big question is, under what rules of engagement is this acceptable?
New stuff-
Let there be no doubt about it. This was aimed direct fire from a mile and a quarter away on a clearly marked hospital that had been in exactly the same place since 2011. The soldiers who aimed those weapons were United States soldiers and they could see, and knew exactly what, they were shooting at. The pilots who flew that plane were United States soldiers and they could see, and knew exactly what, they were shooting at. They were advised, on the plane, by a liaison officer that had spent time as a United States special forces soldier. They were directed by either a United States Forward Air Controller or a trained (by the United States) Afghan Tactical Air Coordinator.
There is absolutely NO evidence of Taliban activity.
It was NOT a 30,000 foot bomb. It was NOT a case of mistyped co-ordinates. It was deliberate murder of Doctors, patients, and children.
It was a sustained bombardment that lasted over an hour, in fact 30 minutes after the United States was informed it was shelling a hospital.
No amount of United States government propaganda and lies will change these facts.
I was just following orders is no excuse. There hasn't been a clearer case of United States War Crimes since William Calley (who co-incidentally was convicted of murdering 22 civilians).
From Campbell to the lowliest loader they should be stripped of rank, convicted, and locked up.
I hope that clears things up for the apologists.