Readers React: Did the U.S. commit a war crime in Afghanistan?

To the editor: Whatever the outcome of numerous investigations, it is only a matter of time before any combination of might and violence will involve human error or miscalculation — and result in unintended damage and lives lost. Will man ever learn that the open palm is more powerful than the clenched fist? (“U.S. is accused of war crime,” Oct. 5, and “U.S. changes its account on bombing of hospital,” Oct. 6)

Albert A. Glick, West Covina

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To the editor: Doctors Without Borders should not be surprised that a hospital or anything else placed in a war zone is hit by a bomb from the military or from a terrorist group. Anything and everything in a war zone can be a target.

Raiford Langford, Orange

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To the editor: How can the hospital bombing in Afghanistan be a war crime? Does anyone conceivably believe it was intentional?

War is chaos. When there is combat — U.S. and Afghan troops being fired on — it is not possible to fully control events.

The deaths of innocent people are always tragic. Without American troops there, far more innocent people would be slaughtered by the Taliban.

Were there mistakes, poor intelligence or other factors related to this bombing? That is certainly possible — perhaps likely. So, let that be the focus.

If we are going to put our people in harm’s way in Afghanistan, these accusations and attempts to limit our options must end.

Sid Pelston, Marina del Rey

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To the editor: In 2001, we were attacked by some very bad people. Their leaders were being given safe harbor by a regime of bad guys who had previously defeated the Russians. So we went after the very bad people who attacked us and, by extension, the regime of bad guys.

Years later, with a new regime installed — one that meets our approval — we (and they) are still fighting the bad guys.

Now we have attacked a humanitarian hospital with what seems to be a newer and much deadlier version of an aircraft we used to call “Puff the Magic Dragon” — because they told us to? Did we have to destroy that hospital in order to save it?

Some bad old feelings are coming back to me.

John Pierson, Pasadena

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