Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE (2019)

Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by space_fountain on Tuesday September 14, 2021 @07:00PM (#28532677)

Not to get too deep into it, but there must be some difference between casualties of war, even if those casualties come from horrific mistakes and literal war crimes right? There must be some gradation in our reproach. War doesn't really provide good options. You end up a bit too careful and hundreds of people die, a bit too little and you kill tens of people. I'm not going to say an investigation shouldn't happen, but to say anything less then perfection equals war crime really devalues that term

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by sudosysgen on Tuesday September 14, 2021 @10:51PM (#28534667)

Is killing an aid worker registered as working with a US NGO as he was surrounded by 7 kids really just shy of perfection?

That was 1000% preventable. You don't get to kill people based on circumstantial evidence without even counting the number of bystanders, without verifying their identity, without doing any level of human intelligence, all easily accomplished tasks, and then claim that you did everything you could.

It's absolutely clear the US did not give a single shit about civilians. Many US and coalition soldiers were even happy to kill civilians. You don't authorize a policy of systematically killing first responders ("double tap strikes") and then claim you were trying to minimize civilians casualties. It wasn't a mistake, it was knowingly just not giving a shit.

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by beebeepka on Tuesday September 14, 2021 @07:34PM (#28533003)

But I remember watching the video where about 10 people were killed from kilometres away. The people responsible were clearly having fun. I also remember a few people getting in big trouble over releasing just a small piece of an enormous pile.

It's clear where stand: "Things happen in war"

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by discordance on Wednesday September 15, 2021 @01:50AM (#28535693)

Sounds like you're referring to the Wikileaks leaked 'Collateral murder' video [0]. Note, pretty grim material.

0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYTxuW2vmzk

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by space_fountain on Wednesday September 15, 2021 @02:19AM (#28535843)

I thought this was referring to the seemingly tragic killing of a man and some of his family who the military claims was planning to drive a bomb up to the airport. I'm not claiming the US has not committed war crimes in Afghanistan

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by 2OEH8eoCRo0 on Tuesday September 14, 2021 @08:10PM (#28533341)

Many on this site struggle when it comes to reasoning about civilian casualties, war, war crimes, collateral damage, etc. War is not black and white, it's a shitty gray nuanced hell for all involved.

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Re:Ex-NSA cyberspies reveal how they helped hack foes of UAE... by petre on Tuesday September 14, 2021 @11:58PM (#28535106)

Just try the responsible parties so that others will act responsibly? The US's withdrawal of support for the ICC is quite telling. The Trump administration even authorized sanctions against the ICC. The US is quite on par with Russia regarding this matter, as in "we support the court as long as it doesn't come after us".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_Intern...

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