I heard this on CNN this morning with Paula Zahn, and if anyone can come up with an article to link to I would appreciate it. Apparently about 200 or so foreigners, including US citizens are going to volunteer to be human shields in and around Baghdad in the event of a war. My question is.... Do you think that if uninjured and captured these citizens should be treated as Enemy Combatants and tried accordingly? Much in the same way that Johnny Taliban Walker was tried last year. I know that they are not actively taking up arms against the military, but they are in essence working for an enemy government. I will try to get this discussion going then chime in with my own opinion (of course it will be a strong one). btw... now only 18 days until "Bombs over Baghdad"
In my opinion, If your shielding a target then your going to die. If you are shielding the innocent and you do not pose a threat then you can shield whatever you want to. We don't care anyway. Shield take blows. So good luck to any one dumb enuff to be one.
I believe if you are shielding a military installation, and live and are apprehended, you should be tried as an enemy combatant. if you are in a warzone providing humanitarian aid, that is fine by me. However, if you are in a war zone with the intent of disrupting the activities of the coalition forcers, than you should be treated as an enemy an if you are unlucky enough to live, spend the rest of your life in nice cozy military prision.
'Human Shields' Begin Deploying in Iraq Sat Feb 22, 2:44 AM ET By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq - Seventeen foreigners bunked down Friday night at a Baghdad water purification plant as the first "human shields" to deploy in Iraq in preparation for a looming U.S.-led war. The volunteers from Sweden, Spain, Italy and Finland weren't roughing it: Their quarters at the Seventh of April water purification station were a huge room with beds, a television, electric heaters and a large table. The wall was adorned with a picture of President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites). "We will try everything to get peace instead of war and to protect civil societies," said Ingrid Ternert, a Swedish member of the group. The volunteers planned to spend only one night at the station, but said others would rotate in to protect the infrastructure installation, which wasn't bombed during the 1991 Gulf War Workers at the station were happy with their unusual visitors. "We welcomed them. I feel happy and it is nice because they want peace for our country," said Hussein Alwan, a 32-year-old supervisor. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday that any Iraqi officials who help in the deployment of the human shields could be punished as war criminals. Asked about Rumsfeld's remarks, Ternert, a high school teacher, said: "He doesn't know that this is protecting the society." "We do this because we are very angry," said Ignacio Cano, a bearded Spanish university professor. "Our governments, especially in those countries like mine — Spain, Italy and Turkey — are supporting the war even though the population are overwhelmingly against the war." Nearby, a woman sat on her bed covering her face with a sweater to prevent television crews from filming her. Some of the human shields weren't exposing themselves to much danger. Cano said the United States would be to blame if anyone is hurt — but conceded that likely wouldn't be him. "I will be leaving Iraq in two days," he said. "So I personally think I will be all right." I read this story a couple of days ago and saw Dan Rather report it on the CBS Evening News last night. Simply insane.
No. John Walker fought against the US Army and got what he deserved. These citizens acting as human shields are fighting against war, not against the US Army. However, I'm sure the current Administration will find some kind of charge to pin on them. After all, "if yer not widdus, yer agin us".
The human shields will discourage the US from bombing many sites. This impedes the US war effort. This means they are fighting against the US, helping Iraq. They should receive every bit the treatment John Walker did.
Yes, Walker did fight against the Taliban and these people are not fighting, I made it a point to mention that in my post, if not my first one, then my second one. What bothers me, is that these people are getting in the way of a military action. They are not passively trying to protest the war, but actively taking action against the coalition forces. IMHO I think the Coalition forces should give them a warning when the war breaks out that they will bomb no matter what, and if these people die, then they die. It woudl be tragic, but they have no right being human shields in the first place.
I have an even better idea AdmrPhilly76. Instead of locking them in prison ( they are full anyway ) you could lock them in a cage on some remote island. Of course if some of the terrorists, I mean protesters survive.
Actually, I hope I'm wrong. I hope the US will not be discouraged from bombing sites where human shields are. The US has gone to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties in recent wars and the bad pr that goes along with it. If the human shields themselves didn't believe this, then they wouldn't go.
Which wars would that be? I am unconvinced that the US cares at all about Iraqi civilian casualities, after the US/UK sponsered embargo killed 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of 5.
I don't know if that is sarcasm or you are serious. But I'd be all for locking them up on a cage somewhere. I agree with Bigtexxx, I hope we are not discouraged from these fanatics. Believe me, I don't want to see these people dead, but there are other way to protests. This will have as much of an affect as the Budhist Monks who lit themselves on fire in the streets of Saigon back in the mid 60's.
Please back that up with some documentation. Where is you source? Do you know something the rest of the world does not. It is one thing to have an opinion, but if you make a claim like that, back it up at least.
You and I disagree. The human shields are not killing American fighting personnel. They are sacrificing their own lives to prevent war. There is a huge difference between their behavior and John Walker's behavior, and they do not deserve the same punishment. Furthermore, at this late stage, I doubt there is anything that would discourage the US military from doing anything. We are going to war, and the human shields, while symbolic, won't stop the US from bombing certain buildings.
Please explain Saddam's new palaces and weapons or the fact that, in autonomous Northern Iraq, which is under the same sanctions as Saddam-controlled Iraq, no one is dying from starvation or want of basic medical care. But I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation, having to do with evil Americans.
come on, no worries...you know we spend billions of dollars on refining very tactical weapons to minimize civilian casualties. when saddam builds weapons factories underneath hospitals, it kinda ties our hands.
