High-tech thugs

US forces launch airstrikes in Iraq
By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer
Fri Mar 28, 2008
BAGHDAD - U.S. forces stepped deeper Friday into the Iraqi government's fight to cripple Shiite militias, launching airstrikes in the southern city of Basra and firing a missile into the main Shiite stronghold in Baghdad.

When the "bad guys" attack, we describe it thusly:

"The attacks show the indiscriminate violence these groups carry out in Iraq as the major loss of life yesterday was to innocent Iraqi men, women and children," [Rear Adm. Gregory] Smith said.
[US blames rocket attacks on militias, AP, 24 Mar 2008]

Anyone want to guess the number of "innocent Iraqi men, women, and children" killed by our air strikes?

We have lost our moral bearings.

Air power - even high-tech, targetted air-power - is a very blunt instrument. It may take out some bad guys. It also, invariably, inevitably, necessarily, takes out "innocent Iraqi men, women, and childen".

We don't care.

When we inflict casualities on innocents, it is "collateral damage".

When the "bad guys" - those we choose to designate as "bad guys" - inflict casualities on innocents, it displays their depravity.

For folks - Republicans - who abhor moral relativism, this is simply baffling.

Stop the madness!