WAR CRIME

The war crime perpetrated by American and British commanders this week compels a comment.

Risking the lives of American and British soldiers to rescue members of the so-called "Christian Peacemaker Teams" from Iraqi insurgents should shock the conscience of any reasonable observer. Predictably, the Christian Peacemaker Teams organization greeted the news with open contempt for the rescuers:

"We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq.  The occupation must end. ...

We pray that Christians throughout the world will, in the same spirit, call for justice and for respect for the human rights of the thousands of Iraqis who are being detained illegally by the U.S. and British forces occupying Iraq. ... "

You can read the CPT's complete statement here.

The young men and women who volunteer for the US and UK armed forces represent the highest values and the finest of the citizenry of both nations. To put such lives at risk knowingly for the likes of CPTers was an unconscionable act of negligence and even recklessness. This is not ordering a prisoner out of his clothes or scaring him with a really, really mean dog. This is a genuine war crime.

The commanders who ordered the mission should be removed and court-martialled. The Pentagon and the Ministry of Defense should order forthwith that CPTers, and others giving aid and comfort to the enemy, when taken by insurgents should be left in situ.

"Christian Peacemaker Teams" are in Iraq expressly to inject themselves into a situation of danger.  Dare we make their example meaningless by not allowing it?