91ɫƬ

Aerial bombs as deadly as suicide bombers

Aerial bombs aren't intended to kill civilians in Iraq – but when they do, they're just as lethal as deliberate suicide bombers on foot

AERIAL bomb attacks that kill civilians in Iraq are as lethal as suicide bombers on foot.

Madelyn Hicks of Kings College London and colleagues analysed 60,481 deaths between March 2003 and March 2008 from the (IBC), a project that records violent civilian deaths.

Suicide bombers on foot killed nearly seven times as many civilians as aerial bomb attacks (without ground fire). However, where an aerial bombing did kill civilians the number of deaths was comparable ().

While no one is suggesting the US and its allies intentionally target civilians, the study highlights the indiscriminate nature of aerial bombs. “It is a predictable consequence of using this type of weapon,” says study author Michael Spagat of the Royal Holloway, University of London. “Once you understand that, you can’t completely say this is unintentional, in that it is understood that this is going to happen.”

Topics: United States / Weapons