Facing little opposition from either Republicans or Democrats, who will hold the U.S. military accountable for atrocities?
By Stephen Zunes, The Progressive Magazine
In August 2019, thousands of refugees, prisoners, and families of ISIS fighters crowded into an encampment in the border town of Baghuz in eastern Syria, one of the last territories controlled by the so-called Islamic State. The United States, supported on the ground by an allied Kurdish and Arab militia, launched a massive air assault on the enclave.
As The New York Times reported on November 13, 2021, a U.S. attack jet unleashed its payload on the civilian encampment. “As the smoke cleared,” the article noted, “a few people stumbled away in search of cover. Then, a jet tracking them dropped one 2,000-pound bomb, then another, killing most of the survivors.” At least seventy civilians died.
A Pentagon legal officer reported internally that this was a possible war crime, but, “at nearly every step, the military made moves that concealed the catastrophic strike,” according to the Times. The death toll was downplayed, and reports were delayed, sanitized, and classified.
Recent Posts
Bernie Sanders To Bring Yemen War Powers Resolution To Floor
Take Action Now Backers of a war powers resolution say that a strong vote in the Senate will send a signal to Saudi Arabia that it does not have a…
New Nuclear Plant Guidelines Put Millions More In Harm’s Way
Take Action Now Federal officials want to gut safety measures to pave the way for untested new facilities—maybe in your…
Israel Support Is A Threat To The American Jewish Community — J Street CEO Warns
Take Action Now J Street CEO announces major pivot in advocacy for restricting U.S. aid to Israel over its human rights abuses. By Philip Weiss,…
Biden Wants To Prevent A Strong Primary Challenge. He Shouldn’t Get Away With It.
Take Action Now If President Biden decides to seek the Democratic nomination, as now seems likely, credible primary challengers could enliven an…