inkgrrl's inkblog

As one online dictionary lays out for us, the word atrocity may variously be defined as:

1. Appalling or atrocious condition, quality, or behavior; monstrousness.
2. An appalling or atrocious act, situation, or object, especially an act of unusual or illegal cruelty inflicted by an armed force on civilians or prisoners.

or

1. Enormous wickedness; extreme heinousness or cruelty.
2. An atrocious or extremely cruel deed.

or even

1: the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane [syn: atrociousness, barbarity, barbarousness, heinousness]
2: a act of atrocious cruelty [syn: inhumanity]

Thanks to Kim du Toit for this post on General Tommy Franks & Co. being accused of war crimes.

Um, let’s revisit the concept of atrocity, shall we? Babies cut out of their mothers’ bellies, entire families gunned down and buried in lime-laced mass graves, children hopped up on PCP and amphetamines then handed toy guns and herded into minefields are all atrocities in my book; failing to prevent unarmed civilians from taking medical or food supplies, firing in self-defense against a possible suicide bomber, causing friendly-fire casualties due to either equipment or communications failure are not, by any stretch of the imagination, atrocities. They are unfortunate and possibly even tragic events, but none approach the degree of intent or heinousness required to be classified an atrocity and thus a war crime. Get the fuck over yourselves.