According to CNN, at least four Russian cruise missiles fired at targets in Syria from ship in the Caspian Sea have crashed in Iran. Some buildings were destroyed and there may be casualties.
Think about what this actually means. Most Americans take it for granted that when cruise missiles are fired, they are amazingly accurate. The US missiles of this sort can fly hundreds or thousands of miles and then hit a building, even being directed to crash through a specific window in that building. The Russian version of the cruise missiles started on their flight aimed at Syria, but many of them hit in Iran, hundreds of miles from their targets. The Russian cruise missiles are just not that dependable. These missiles are also not that accurate. In other words, when the Russians fire these missiles at sites in Syria located in a city, there is a high probability that many innocent civilians will be killed. The Russian missiles still follow the World War II paradigm of wiping out an area to kill the forces in that area with no concern about the civilians who also occupy that area. If you want to destroy the German factories in Frankfurt, you bomb Frankfurt and level the city.
Now compare this to the recent bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan by accident by the US military. Doctors Without Borders is repeatedly labeling this a "war crime". The Russians, however, would have leveled the whole area, not just the hospital.
The point here is that as the Russians step up their attacks in Syria, the most likely victims are thousands more Syrian civilians who are unlucky enough to get caught in the way of the Russian bombs. Three hundred thousand people have already died in the Syrian Civil War. That number is sure to climb quickly with the addition of the Russian efforts.
Think about what this actually means. Most Americans take it for granted that when cruise missiles are fired, they are amazingly accurate. The US missiles of this sort can fly hundreds or thousands of miles and then hit a building, even being directed to crash through a specific window in that building. The Russian version of the cruise missiles started on their flight aimed at Syria, but many of them hit in Iran, hundreds of miles from their targets. The Russian cruise missiles are just not that dependable. These missiles are also not that accurate. In other words, when the Russians fire these missiles at sites in Syria located in a city, there is a high probability that many innocent civilians will be killed. The Russian missiles still follow the World War II paradigm of wiping out an area to kill the forces in that area with no concern about the civilians who also occupy that area. If you want to destroy the German factories in Frankfurt, you bomb Frankfurt and level the city.
Now compare this to the recent bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan by accident by the US military. Doctors Without Borders is repeatedly labeling this a "war crime". The Russians, however, would have leveled the whole area, not just the hospital.
The point here is that as the Russians step up their attacks in Syria, the most likely victims are thousands more Syrian civilians who are unlucky enough to get caught in the way of the Russian bombs. Three hundred thousand people have already died in the Syrian Civil War. That number is sure to climb quickly with the addition of the Russian efforts.
No comments:
Post a Comment