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US General, NATO Commander Orders War Crimes Be Carried Out

By SmileySam

 You thought with Bush gone that we would no longer see headlines like this didn't you ? You were wrong. US General John Craddock, NATO's top comaander in Afghanistan has issued orders to kill Afghani Drug Dealers even without any evidence "that suspects are actively engaged in the armed resistance against the Afghanistan government or against Western troops." That order is against International law and Rules of Engagement.

A dispute has emerged among NATO High Command in Afghanistan regarding the conditions under which alliance troops can use deadly violence against those identified as insurgents. In a classified document, which SPIEGEL has obtained, NATO's top commander, US General John Craddock, has issued a "guidance" providing NATO troops with the authority "to attack directly drug producers and facilities throughout Afghanistan."
According to the document, deadly force is to be used even in those cases where there is no proof that suspects are actively engaged in the armed resistance against the Afghanistan government or against Western troops.

 Craddock, one of the many loyal Bushies is apparently afraid Obama will replace him according to Spiegal Online. I'm calling on all of you to help Obama make the decision as fast as possible. Americans can no longer be subjected to the whims of rouge US Generals that refuse to follow the law.
NATO High Commander Issues Illegitimate Order to Kill

I'm not alone on the view that Gen. Craddocks orders are illegal. Other NATO Gens. are refusing to follow those orders setting the stage for more chaos in Afghanistan.

The directive was sent on Jan. 5 to Egon Ramms, the German leader at NATO Command in Brunssum, Netherlands, which is currently in charge of the NATO ISAF mission, as well as David McKiernan, the commander of the ISAF peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Neither want to follow it. Both consider the order to be illegitimate and believe it violates both ISAF rules of engagement and international law, the "Law of Armed Conflict."

A classified letter issued by McKiernan's Kabul office in response claims that Craddock is trying to create a "new category" in the rules of engagement for dealing with opposing forces that would "seriously undermine the commitment ISAF has made to the Afghan people and the international community ... to restrain our use of force and avoid civilian casualties to the greatest degree predictable."

Of course I shouldn't have to point out that this is no way to "win the hearts and minds" of the Afghanis, but there it is. Surely Sec. Gates must be aware of this. There is no word if his has supported or rejected this oder which only adds to the chaos.If he is supportive of this maybe Pres. Obama should rethink his continued employment. We voted to change this type of behavior not expand it.

The article make many disclosures, more than I can cut and paste here, so please go read the entire 1 page piece so you can see the madness involved. Part of the so-call guidance is that they can now bomb any place they think to be involved in the drug trade as long as "the operation would not kill "more than 10 civilians."
Here is the link to the story I beg you to go read. NATO High Commander Issues Illegitimate Order to Kill

Update: Original title restored because it appears that "guidance is the same as a Order.
   

NATO initiates security investigation

   A decision by NATO Defense Ministers on Alliance Counter-Narcotics strategy was taken in Budapest in October 2008, according to which ISAF can act, in concert with the Afghans, against facilities and facilitators supporting the insurgency, in the context of counternarcotics.  SACEUR has been tasked to implement this decision.  Accordingly,  SACEUR issued general guidance as a follow-up to the Budapest Ministerial decision. He has not, and never has, issued illegal orders.

   The NATO Secretary General and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe find the recent events associated with the leaking of NATO classified documents unacceptable.  Our nations' security and the safety of our servicemen and women depend on adherence to NATO security regulations and the protection of classified material. The NATO Secretary General has initiated a security investigation into this matter.

Update 2: Reuters is reporting that Gen. Craddocks response to these reports is a classic Bush move, he ordered investigations into leaks of the information.

Full post as published by Never In Our Names on January 30, 2009 (boomark / email).