Joe Biden ‘discussing’ possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
Casually discussing committing war crimes… civilian energy infrastructure is not a valid military target.
Oil facilities can be legitimate targets, if they’re producing fuels, other petroleum products, or generating electricity, for military purposes. I don’t know which facilities are being discussed here, or whether those facilities are primarily military or civilian.
Pretty sure their military uses electricity and water, too, so that means their electrical grid and water supply are fair game, right?
If they’re shared by civilian infrastructure then they’re probably using it as a shield, so that means it’s OK to hit them anyway
I don’t know. Has targeting those types of infrastructure historically been categorized as a war crime?
The point is that the law is difficult to administer clearly because ‘dual-use’ is too vague. Russia’s been hitting electrical facilities all across Ukraine for over a year, and they’ve been saying they’re all legal military targets, even if they’re serving a major city (including hospitals, critical civilian services, ect). The more hawkish crowd here is pretty selective when classifying war crimes depending on the parties involved, and even the UNSC is unable to make clear rulings (they don’t have any teeth, anyway), especially when they involve an American-backed ally.
Israel has been hitting schools, Mosques, orphanages, ect, and they’ve thus far gotten away with it by arguing they were being used by Hamas. I wouldn’t put much stock in what’s being said is ‘fair-play’ or not. It’s all questionable and it’s all an escalation that nobody really wants.
