Kunduz clinic staff scramble to treat injured patients after the October bombing. (Photo: MSF)
Mar 18, 2016
Human rights groups said the Pentagon's disciplinary actions against U.S. military personnel for the October bombing of a Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan were both "an injustice and an insult."
The Department of Defense announced late Wednesday it would issue "administrative punishments" against 12 service members responsible for the disastrous bombing that resulted in the deaths of 42 patients and staff--but would not file any criminal charges.
"For good reason the victims' family members will see this as both an injustice and an insult: the US military investigated itself and decided no crimes had been committed," wrote Patricia Grossman, senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a blog post on Thursday. "The failure to criminally investigate senior officials liable for the attack is not only an affront to the lives lost at the MSF hospital, but a blow against the rule of law in Afghanistan and elsewhere."
MSF, which has called for an independent investigation into the bombing, said it would request more details from the U.S. government before commenting on the disciplinary actions.
The medical charity has said the bombing may amount to a war crime and has denounced previous actions by the U.S. government, such as handing out "condolence payments," that it said were insufficient.
As Grossman pointed out, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter responded to the bombing by promising to conduct a "full and transparent" investigation into the attack and hold people accountable. "Apparently that has not happened," Grossman wrote.
Saeed Haqyar, a Kunduz resident whose uncle was killed in the bombing, told Agence France-Presse Friday, "The [U.S.] punishment is a joke. This inhuman, barbaric crime has pushed bereaved family members to the point of insanity."
The Pentagon is due next week to publish its own report on the attack, although classified material will be redacted.
MSF continues to call for a full and independent investigation.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Human rights groups said the Pentagon's disciplinary actions against U.S. military personnel for the October bombing of a Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan were both "an injustice and an insult."
The Department of Defense announced late Wednesday it would issue "administrative punishments" against 12 service members responsible for the disastrous bombing that resulted in the deaths of 42 patients and staff--but would not file any criminal charges.
"For good reason the victims' family members will see this as both an injustice and an insult: the US military investigated itself and decided no crimes had been committed," wrote Patricia Grossman, senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a blog post on Thursday. "The failure to criminally investigate senior officials liable for the attack is not only an affront to the lives lost at the MSF hospital, but a blow against the rule of law in Afghanistan and elsewhere."
MSF, which has called for an independent investigation into the bombing, said it would request more details from the U.S. government before commenting on the disciplinary actions.
The medical charity has said the bombing may amount to a war crime and has denounced previous actions by the U.S. government, such as handing out "condolence payments," that it said were insufficient.
As Grossman pointed out, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter responded to the bombing by promising to conduct a "full and transparent" investigation into the attack and hold people accountable. "Apparently that has not happened," Grossman wrote.
Saeed Haqyar, a Kunduz resident whose uncle was killed in the bombing, told Agence France-Presse Friday, "The [U.S.] punishment is a joke. This inhuman, barbaric crime has pushed bereaved family members to the point of insanity."
The Pentagon is due next week to publish its own report on the attack, although classified material will be redacted.
MSF continues to call for a full and independent investigation.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Human rights groups said the Pentagon's disciplinary actions against U.S. military personnel for the October bombing of a Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan were both "an injustice and an insult."
The Department of Defense announced late Wednesday it would issue "administrative punishments" against 12 service members responsible for the disastrous bombing that resulted in the deaths of 42 patients and staff--but would not file any criminal charges.
"For good reason the victims' family members will see this as both an injustice and an insult: the US military investigated itself and decided no crimes had been committed," wrote Patricia Grossman, senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a blog post on Thursday. "The failure to criminally investigate senior officials liable for the attack is not only an affront to the lives lost at the MSF hospital, but a blow against the rule of law in Afghanistan and elsewhere."
MSF, which has called for an independent investigation into the bombing, said it would request more details from the U.S. government before commenting on the disciplinary actions.
The medical charity has said the bombing may amount to a war crime and has denounced previous actions by the U.S. government, such as handing out "condolence payments," that it said were insufficient.
As Grossman pointed out, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter responded to the bombing by promising to conduct a "full and transparent" investigation into the attack and hold people accountable. "Apparently that has not happened," Grossman wrote.
Saeed Haqyar, a Kunduz resident whose uncle was killed in the bombing, told Agence France-Presse Friday, "The [U.S.] punishment is a joke. This inhuman, barbaric crime has pushed bereaved family members to the point of insanity."
The Pentagon is due next week to publish its own report on the attack, although classified material will be redacted.
MSF continues to call for a full and independent investigation.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.