Another Day, Another War Crime

Iraqi doctor: US troops storm hospital

The soldiers ordered medical staff and patients to leave, he said, before destroying the hospital's doors and detaining members of staff.

[Dr Ahmad] Ibrahim said the forces stormed an operating theatre where a doctor was carrying out Caesarean surgery. They initially ordered the doctor to leave, he said, but when she told them the mother's life was at risk they allowed her to carry out the surgery under guard.

So not all US troops are complete arseholes, but to invade the clean area of an operating theatre? Hygiene? Risk of infection?

That quaint old document from the last millenium, Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949 has the following provisions:

Art. 18. Civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict. ...

Art. 20. Persons regularly and solely engaged in the operation and administration of civilian hospitals, including the personnel engaged in the search for, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians, the infirm and maternity cases shall be respected and protected. ...

Art. 56. To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring and maintaining, with the cooperation of national and local authorities, the medical and hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene in the occupied territory, with particular reference to the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics. Medical personnel of all categories shall be allowed to carry out their duties. ...