Why Are Civilians Killed Ignored In America's Wars?

An explosion rocks Baghdad on March 21, 2003, the result of airstrikes in the opening days of the Iraq war. The United States and its allies began the invasion phase of the war on March 19, 2003, citing concerns about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Goran Tomasevic / Reuters

Why Do We Ignore The Civilians Killed In American Wars? -- John Tirman, Washington Post

As the United States officially ended the war in Iraq last month, President Obama spoke eloquently at Fort Bragg, N.C., lauding troops for “your patriotism, your commitment to fulfill your mission, your abiding commitment to one another,” and offering words of grief for the nearly 4,500 members of the U.S. armed forces who died in Iraq. He did not, however, mention the sacrifices of the Iraqi people.

This inattention to civilian deaths in America’s wars isn’t unique to Iraq. There’s little evidence that the American public gives much thought to the people who live in the nations where our military interventions take place. Think about the memorials on the Mall honoring American sacrifices in Korea and Vietnam. These are powerful, sacred spots, but neither mentions the people of those countries who perished in the conflicts.

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My Comment: The Americans do not have a monopoly on this type of behavior. Every nation .... throughout history .... has always prioritized their soldiers over the civilians that they may have killed elsewhere. I guess this is human nature.