Why don't more Americans care about civilian casualties in the so-called "wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Question

in ref to: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080711/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan

1st Lt. Nathan Perry: "Any loss of innocent life is tragic...I assure you that civilians are never targeted, and that our forces go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties..."

This makes it all better--that they go to undisclosed "great lengths?" You mean like "surgically striking" instead of "bombing?" The "great lengths" the military goes is in the rhetoric being used by Bush and the Pentagon to hide civilian casualties (e.g., Shock and Awe?). Most Americans feel content with the excuse that if terrorists or insurgents "hide behind civilians" it's perfectly acceptable to blow them all away, but if you saw police doing this in hostage situations in the U.S. it would be a completely different story. The loss of innocent life in the Middle East is labelled "tragic" with some faux moral sentiment and then the next military operation is planned with no responsibility taken by the U.S. as long as it all gets labelled "war." Why don't more Americans care?

Answer 1

You should check out some poll results, my friend. Do you know how few Americans support the war? Do you know how few Americans still support Bush?  

Every day while I'm out driving I see at least one war protest. Many of us DO care and we are doing what we can. Let's see what happens when the next presidential election rolls around.

Answer 2

I guess you don't know much about war..   This happens in a war.

Why we are there is another thing, but my main concern is the American GIs that get hurt.    We are supposedly helping these countries to maintain some form of peace and I worry about our men first...

Answer 3

To the ones waging these wars, brown people don't count.  They are just collateral damage.  They don't feel pain, they don't feel sadness, they don't hurt. they don't cry.  And even if they did, who cares.  A life is a life only when it belongs to a person of a lighter hue. Despite lip service to the contrary, racism is alive and well.

Answer 4

it's not that we don't care, it's just that **** happens, people die in war, that is the way it is, what can we do?  complain? ya that does a lot of good huh? LMAO

Answer 5

You do realize that if we were not involved with this situation, many thousands of civilians would still be getting killed.

The majority of car bombs being detonated are targeting civilians because they are opposing religious factions.

As far as collatoral damage...it happens in war...Ask the Germans and British.

Answer 6

get a grip, what on earth do you expect an average American to do?  should we wear black and attend every funeral? As far as I am concerned every American that is wounded or has died is an innocent by stander...what the h**l are we doing there any way?

Answer 7

If you don't think what is going on is a war, just what do you call it? Looks like war to me.

Answer 8

Because war dehumanizes. It's easier to think of everyone "over there" as terrorists, and if not terrorists, at least terrorist supporters, than it is to actually feel for them.

"Eh, S**t happens, dude!"

Answer 9

This is probably due to the fact that America has approximately 80 homocides (Terrorist attacks) every day of the year to worry about -which is far more than Iraq or Afghanistan has overall!

Answer 10

i say why don't more Americans care more about their country

Answer 11

You are absolutely right.  If the terrorist won't play fair, we will just leave.  Are you kidding me?  This is "war" in every way possible.  Your biased question ill thought out.  I think you are the one not caring.  the fact that liberals are the one's feeding you this c**p should tell you that it's not true.  Do you think that I commend death?? I don't care whether they are pregnant or have a bomb on their waist. Murder is wrong.  HOWEVER, KILLING is necessary.  For what you ask?  To free a people who have suffered from genocide and political suppression and opression.  To get a rebel terrorist force out of AN ENTIRE COUNTRY.  Afghanistan was ruled in every aspect by a full blown terrorist regime until we went in there.  That's why we are there.  I hate that civilians are getting killed, I REALLY DO,  and I agree that it is wrong, but as World War 3 says, stuff happens, and war is war.

Answer 12

Civilians? or future terrorists? I believe we these so called "casualties of war" are just reducing the amount of enemies we will have in the future.