The United States of America and Human Rights Violations [PART 2]

By Mohamad Hammoud

Lebanon – The United States' actions in international conflicts further complicate its image as a global champion of democracy and human rights. Beyond its borders, the US has been involved in numerous wars and interventions that have led to widespread destruction and significant loss of civilian life. This part of the essay will delve into some of the most notable instances where US military interventions have raised serious human rights concerns, focusing on the Vietnam and Korean Wars as well as the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. By examining these conflicts, we gain a deeper understanding of the discrepancies between America's stated ideals and its conduct on the global stage.

PART TWO

AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD IN INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS

The United States' human rights record in international conflicts is tainted, much like its domestic history. Under the banner of defending democracy and human rights, the United States has killed millions of people and has been responsible for widespread suffering around the world, starkly contrasting with the principles it claims to uphold. For example, during World War I, the US used chemical weapons, causing immense suffering. In World War II, US military actions led to countless civilian casualties, notably the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed an estimated 200,000 people in an instant. The ethical justifications for these actions remain deeply troubling, casting a long shadow over the nation’s self-proclaimed moral authority.

VIETNAM AND THE KOREAN WAR

During the Vietnam War, the United States caused millions of deaths and used chemical agents like Agent Orange, which have long-lasting effects on the Vietnamese population and the environment. In his book "Kill Everything That Moves", Nick Turse provides a harrowing account of systemic atrocities against civilians. Drawing on declassified documents, Turse exposes horrific events like the My Lai Massacre, where US soldiers mercilessly slaughtered between 347 and 504 unarmed individuals, including women and children. He reveals that the massacre was not an isolated incident; it reflected a military culture that encouraged war crimes. The chilling directive to the military was clear: “kill everything that moves,” leading to the indiscriminate targeting of both combatants and civilians.

Similarly, during the Korean War, the US military killed 20% of the population, primarily civilians, and flattened entire areas. Cities like Pyongyang were devastated, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of the destruction.

IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

Under the pretext of the “War on Terror,” the US invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, resulting in up to a million deaths according to United Nations and other reports. Ironically, the justification for invading Iraq was to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, which were never found. The US did not apologize for the destruction it caused to the Iraqi people or for the suffering endured by detainees in Abu Ghraib prison, where US soldiers tortured and humiliated Iraqi detainees. These actions shocked the international community and highlighted serious ethical failures within the US military.

Furthermore, a recent article in The New Yorker, titled "In the Dark: The War Crimes That the Military Buried," explores the systemic failures of the US military to adequately investigate and hold accountable its service members for war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. The investigators found 800 cases of war crimes, but the cases were dismissed or resulted in minimal consequences for perpetrators. High-profile incidents, such as the Haditha killings, underscore the lack of transparency and accountability within the military justice system.

CONCLUSION

Despite professing to uphold human rights, the United States' history and ongoing military interventions tell a different story. From the atomic bombings of Japan to the atrocities in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, US military actions have frequently disregarded civilian life. The narratives presented in “Kill Everything That Moves” and the New Yorker article “In the Dark” emphasize that these atrocities are not merely the actions of rogue individuals but are often rooted in military policies and strategies.

Click here to read PART ONE