US Strike Kills Migrants, Pentagon Says 'Oops'
ABC News dutifully reports that Amnesty International considers the 2021 US strike on a Yemeni prison, which killed dozens of African migrants, a possible war crime. The Pentagon’s response? A familiar refrain of 'credible civilian casualties' and 'regret.' This comes after years of US support for the Saudi-led coalition's war in Yemen, a conflict that has indiscriminately targeted civilians,
hospitals, and infrastructure since 2014. One might wonder when a 'possible war crime' becomes just a 'war crime.' The US, having supplied billions in arms to partners conducting similar strikes, maintains a curious standard for accountability abroad. Apparently, the 'rules-based international order' is more of a suggestion when it comes to Washington's own actions or those of its allies. How many
'regrettable incidents' constitute a policy?