BS: Back to the Front- news note

Subject: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 08:57 PM

Intelligence analysts computing aggregate levels of violence against civilians for the NIE puzzled over how the military designated attacks as combat, sectarian or criminal, according to one senior intelligence official in Washington. "If a bullet went through the back of the head, it's sectarian," the official said. "If it went through the front, it's criminal."

Ah. Now I see.

Subject: RE: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 03:28 AM

& if it missed the head completely it's combat???? How do they tally friendly fire, in the back????? And what about the innocent, oh, they're civilians, forgot. Do they even bother to tally the injured or do only the dead count? What a way to measure, only in the US.

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 05:37 AM

NIE? Google tells me that means Northern Ireland Electricity, but I somehow think that can't be it.

Subject: RE: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 10:07 AM

NIE is National Intelligence Estimate--possibly one of the more extreme oxymorons.

Subject: RE: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 03:39 PM

So if some marine shoots a civilian in the back that's sectarian, but if they shoot them in the front it's criminal? Sounds a bit simplistic.

Subject: RE: BS: Back to the Front- news note
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 07:17 PM

But it makes it easier to count. Which seems to be the important thing.