Waging War is Not a War Crime

My view is no, this Congressman did not commit war crimes when his unit fired artillery into Fallujah in 2004 during the Iraq War to help our troops recapture the city from al Qaeda terrorists.

Civilians die in war. That's only one reason it is Hell. And despite our efforts to isolate Fallujah in the fall of 2004 to get civilians out of the way before we recaptured the Iraqi city, when enemies fight among civilians it is unavoidable that civilians will die while killing the enemy. That alone is not and never has been a war crime.

We take more precautions to avoid civilian deaths than most would--and in contrast to those enemies in Fallujah who deliberately targeted civilians.

Tell me how many more American troops should have died if we could not use artillery to help win quickly?

Take into account that more civilians would have died in a long siege. Remember how false compassion works.

And that doesn't even factor in the civilians who would die every extra day that jihadis live to commit terrorism.

So take that question about an American war crime and shove it. If only our brutal enemies were judged as harshly as our own troops are.

UPDATE: More from Strategypage. The Houthi rebels continue to cheat on the UN deal to get humanitarian aid moving; the UAE pulled its forces out of the combat zone, making a goverment offensive against the rebels harder to pull off; the Saudis are determined not to let Iran retain a foothold in the region by letting the Houthi rebellion survive; and America wants an international escort force for Red Sea shipping traffic.

UPDATE: The UN is trying to get the Houthis to comply with the deal they signed to open Hodeida port for humanitarian aid that the Houthis don't steal or use to cover weapons smuggling.