SATISH SHARMA - not just Rotigraphy.: THE U.S. LAST NIGHT destroyed civilian water utilities serving 20,000 Iranian people.

https://x.com/NuryVittachi/status/2064864297218662761

THE U.S. LAST NIGHT destroyed civilian water utilities serving 20,000 Iranian people.

“The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” US Central Command said in a statement on X last night.

The punishment was “in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter,” the US Centcom said.

So, one item of military transport (crew escaped without harm) is deemed equivalent to bringing harm and misery to 20,000 people.

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YES, IT WAS A WAR CRIME
Destroying water utilities is a war crime. Under Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, it is strictly prohibited to attack or destroy infrastructure essential to civilian life, including water installations.

And the US committed this war crime for what?

The truth is that the destruction of the helicopter was no big deal.

Who said that? Donald Trump did. "Wasn't a big deal. The pilot is fine," he told the press.

Even more galling is the fact that the Iranians downed the helicopter as part of its self-defence efforts against a US-Israeli war that has been deemed illegal by multiple countries and organizations, including many in the US.

The lack of proportionality is the key to understanding what is really happening in West Asia. Here are three examples with up-to-date statistics.

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1) COMPARE LEBANON AND ISRAEL NUMBERS
Lebanon reported yesterday that Israeli attacks have now killed at least 3,696 people and injured 11,413 others since March 2. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced.

On the Israeli side, 29 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed in Lebanon, according to the military.

Just 29 soldiers on the Israel side. On the Lebanon side, even if we ONLY count women, children or medics killed by Israel, there have been 730. So far.

And before anyone is tempted to say that Lebanon’s figures are untrustworthy, let’s remember that Lebanon’s government has long been US-aligned and opposed to Hezbollah.

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2) COMPARE IRAN AND U.S. NUMBERS
How many times have we heard about the 13 members of the US armed forces who lost their lives as part of the attack on Iran? Each was given a lengthy obituary in multiple media, including the UK Guardian.

Just 13. And what about the 2,988 men and 511 women killed by the US and Israel in Iran, as reported yesterday?

They're just statistics.

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3) COMPARE ISRAEL AND GAZA NUMBERS
In recent days, Israel killed at least 11 more Palestinians in Gaza, including women and children, adding to a total of more than 72,000 lives lost. The majority have been women and children.

Since the beginning of the retaliation after the October 2023 attack, Israel has lost just 1,152 personnel, identified by its government as soldiers, police, and security officials.

See what I mean about proportionality? The contrast between casualties on the US-Israel side and those they are targeting is startling.

This week, the richest nation on earth lost a helicopter.

“No big deal.”