AP Discovers Russian Brutality, Ignores US Partners' History
The AP's headline screams about Russia's 'Africa Corps' committing atrocities in Mali, detailing beheadings and rapes, citing 'dozens of civilians.' This thorough reporting on the horrors of foreign conflict is commendable. Yet, one might wonder why such vivid descriptions and immediate outrage often go missing when similar allegations surface against proxies of Western powers or even US-funded
forces. Remember a different kind of 'scorched-earth policy' from the recent past? The historical record is replete with examples where a focus on 'extremists' or 'counter-terrorism' conveniently sidelines reports of collateral damage, or worse, outright atrocities, committed by forces aligned with Washington. While the AP is busy documenting Russian abuses, let's not forget the extensive
documentation of civilian harm and alleged war crimes in conflicts where the US has been a primary backer, from Afghanistan to Yemen. The narrative consistently frames 'our' allies' violence as isolated incidents or regrettable necessities, while 'their' allies' violence is proof of inherent evil. How many times has the Pentagon 'regretted' civilian casualties without the same visceral outrage or
detailed reporting on missing organs?