this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2024
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During a United Nations Security Council meeting this week, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield launched a full-throated condemnation of Russia’s bombing of Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital on Monday. The attack was a part of a Russian bombing campaign that killed more than 30 Ukrainian civilians.

“We’re here today because Russia … attacked a children’s hospital,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “Even uttering that phrase sends a chill down my spine.”

Thomas-Greenfield went on to list a string of Russian attacks on other Ukrainian hospitals throughout the war. She described Russia’s aggression as a “campaign of terror” and labeled its attacks on civilian infrastructure as violations of international law. Representatives of other countries, such as the United Kingdom and France, echoed Thomas-Greenfield’s denunciations. (Russia’s ambassador denied responsibility for the Monday bombing.)

“I’m very glad the U.S. is coming out and so vocally condemning all of those actions,” said Jessica Peake, an international law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, referring to Thomas-Greenfield’s comments toward Russia. “But at the same time, we don’t get any language anywhere near as strong as that when we’re talking about Palestinian hospitals, or Palestinian schools, or Palestinian children.”

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[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I feel very confident in saying a childrens cancer ward far from the Ukrainian front likely had no military utilization. Probably no rockets fired from the roof, no soldiers inside, etc etc.

Even if their were a rocket or a soldier on the roof, Russia would but be morally justified in blowing it up. Nothing you said is relevant to that situation.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If a hospital is used as a combat position, it becomes a valid target for attack. You are not prohibited from returning fire just because the attackers are striking from a hospital.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Blowing up a hospital is not morally justified just because you're able to bullshit your way into calling it a combat position. Your use of "prohibited" is a weaselword. Obviously they're not prohibited - this is trivially true since they do it. It's still not morally justifiable.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world -2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh, certainly. Well, war is hell. It's an inherently immoral practice, one of the most evil things we engage in. When it happens though, it needs to follow a certain set of rules, for a variety of reasons of which morality is just one.

That said, "hospital" is just a word. If the building is occupied by patients and doctors and is not part of the fighting, then I fully agree with you. If it is empty of doctors and patients, and instead a battalion of soldiers is shooting at you from it, it should be blown up. The activities happening determine what happens, not the name and type of the building.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That said, “hospital” is just a word. If the building is occupied by patients and doctors and is not part of the fighting, then I fully agree with you. If it is empty of doctors and patients, and instead a battalion of soldiers is shooting at you from it, it should be blown up.

Adressing only both of these extremes ensure that nothing you said addresses any aspect of reality.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

They're hypotheticals meant to communicate how the Geneva Conventions actually work in real life. Sorry if you don't like it.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The Geneva convention isn't relevant to Israel's current war in Gaza. Blowing up hospitals remains immoral. Sorry if you don't like it.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

War is immoral, everything about it. No exceptions. Humanity does not function based on universal morality though, it functions on law.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There are no laws governing Israel's conduct in Gaza at this moment , and unconditional US support ensures that this will remain the case. You're purposely talking about irrelevant nonsense to deflect from their obviously immoral acts.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

No, I'm not talking about irrelevant nonsense, I'm talking about war as it pertains to a war. Note, I have said several times that what is happening is very immoral. This is not deflection.

Additionally, international law certainly applies, the ICJ has jurisdiction to try war criminals regardless of where they are.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That jurisdiction doesn't matter for Israel so long as they enjoy unconditional support from the US. Why do you insist on talking about shit that doesn't matter?

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

Couple reasons. First, that's just false. The US cannot prevent an ICJ ruling, and it would definitely impact Netanyahu's govt on multiple levels with a great many countries including his own. Second, US support is not actually unconditional, as we saw when the bomb shipments got paused. US support is still partial, and could become either stronger or weaker.