Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said classifying the bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan as a war crime “distorts the definition of a war crime,” in an interview with NPR on Wednesday morning.
McCain told NPR host Steve Inskeep that deaths were a “terrible tragedy.”
“This terrible tragedy would not have occurred if the Taliban had not attacked the place to start with,” McCain said. “I find it ludicrous and insulting that people would say because of this terrible accident that somehow war crimes are committed. To call that a war crime distorts the definition of a war crime.”
Listen to McCain’s comments on NPR:
Not a war crime. Just an Ooopsies.
Unless of course the folks who called in the strike knew it was a hospital. Then he will just blame Obama.
Actually, I’m pretty sure a hospital is specifically listed under that exact definition…
fuck off, mccain:
Rule 35. Hospital and Safety Zones and Neutralized ZonesRule
35. Directing an attack against a zone established to shelter the
wounded, the sick and civilians from the effects of hostilities is
prohibited.
SummaryState practice establishes this rule as a norm of customary international law
applicable in both international and non-international armed conflicts.
International and non-international armed conflicts
The First and Fourth Geneva Conventions provide for the possibility of setting up hospital and safety zones, and a draft agreement for the establishment of such zones is attached thereto.[1]
In addition, the Fourth Geneva Convention provides for the possibility of setting up neutralized zones.[2]
Both types of zone are intended to shelter the wounded, the sick and civilians from the effects of conflict, but the hospital and safety zones are meant to be far removed from military operations, whereas neutralized zones are intended for areas in which military operations are taking place.
The relevant provisions of the Geneva Conventions are incorporated in many military manuals,
which emphasize that these zones must be respected.[3] Under the legislation of several States, it is an offence to attack such zones.[4]
https://www.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/v1_cha_chapter11_rule35
I guess McCain has already seen the complete investigation report, supporting testimony, committee notes, witness statements and various other documents needed to arrive at his pronouncement.
Either that or he’s an attention whore.
shorter McCain: War crimes are what other people do. And Obama.