Pwnallthethings
Blowing up dams--even if the dam is a military object--is a specifically enumerated war crime under the Geneva Conventions, if attacking that object would cause the release of dangerous forces (specifically: flooding) that attacks or could cause severe losses to the civilian population
Jun 6, 2023 at 10:50amWeb
Show threadPwnallthethingsJun 6, 2023

It is listed in the same category as a nuclear electrical generating facility for a reason.

Attacking them is a war crime. It implicitly lacks proportionality, and explicitly violates the laws of war.

Show threadwirepairJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings i'm sure they'll be punished by countries by ... checks notes ... continuing to buy oil from them :(.
Show threadPeter BindelsJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings But can it be a war crime if it's a special military operation? Surely it's not a war?
Show threadPwnallthethingsJun 6, 2023
@dascandy42 The Geneva Conventions don't care whether you call it a war or not. They care that it's an armed conflict. The name of the conflict doesn't affect whether the laws of war apply.
Show threadDud (Mx)Jun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings If only there were an independent body capable of enforcing this convention. @dascandy42
Show threadLocksmithJun 6, 2023

@BackFromTheDud @Pwnallthethings @dascandy42 On the same token, the nation which started this absurd war operation does not care a bit about any laws, ethics or regulations.

"Rules of war" reminds me of rules of street fighting.

Show threadMaybeMyMonkeysJun 6, 2023
@dascandy42 @Pwnallthethings There are no loopholes in hell.
Show threadAndy Warburton ❌❌❌Jun 6, 2023
@MaybeMyMonkeys @dascandy42 @Pwnallthethings it’s a shame hell isn’t real.
Show threadJonathan KatzJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings Contrast this with the lionisation of the UK Dambusters raid during WWII.
Show threadnjwattJun 6, 2023

@katzmandu @Pwnallthethings
ETA: I misunderstood the point he was making and it wasn’t supporting Russian war crimes

Absurd whataboutism, you should be ashamed of yourself

(Yes those were a war crime)

Show threadJonathan KatzJun 6, 2023
@njwatt @Pwnallthethings lawl. I'm all for flooding out towns of Nazis. It's just that since moving to the UK I compare the whole dambusters thing to the bombing of Dresden where at least in the US we had introspection about it.
Show threadnjwattJun 6, 2023
@katzmandu @Pwnallthethings Sorry, a little touchy from arguing with tankies. I’ll edit my original reply to note that I misunderstood
Show threadJonathan KatzJun 6, 2023
@njwatt No worries. Tankes ruin everything.
Show threadNelsonJun 6, 2023

@katzmandu Lots of war crimes and attacks on civilian populations throughout WWII, nobody really came out looking great there. Sorry about Dresden!

But I think we can and should demand better of governments in the present day. Past war crimes do not excuse future war crimes.

Show threadJonathan KatzJun 6, 2023
@skyfaller Oh absolutely.
Show threadHugh Young-BishJun 6, 2023

@katzmandu @Pwnallthethings
Is this why Peter Jackson's remake of The Dam Busters movie has stalled? Not because a dog was called N*****?

Putin has already shown us who he is.

Show threadMaybeMyMonkeysJun 6, 2023
@katzmandu @Pwnallthethings history is written by winners and you won’t see the losers arguing the point
Show threadLeszek KarlikJun 6, 2023

@Pwnallthethings

It is a war crime specified in Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.

Putin withdrew Russia from the ratification of Additional Protocol I in 2019.

Show threadcassius1213Jun 6, 2023

@Leszek_Karlik @Pwnallthethings

Russia withdrew the declaration made by the Soviet Union--of which it is the state successor--at the time of its ratification of Protocol I, not its ratification of the Protocol as a whole. Cf: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/api-1977/state-parties/ru

Accordingly, Russia remains bound by Art 56 of the Protocol banning attacks against dams and other "works and installations containing dangerous forces".

Show threadKickstinkJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings Putin treats things banned by the Geneva Convention as a to-do list.
Show threadBater KariJun 6, 2023

@Pwnallthethings In The famous Dam Busters raid of WW II, numerous people were killed by flooding. Many were forced laborers used by the Nazis.

The Geneva Convention was updated in 1977 making dam-busting a war crime. The Geneva Convention does contain an exception for certain military activities.

Show threadDavid Penfold Jun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings But Kim Dotcom says it was the Ukrainians 😂
Show threadex or current IDF unwelcomeJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings odd the coincidence with the new dam busters film
Show threadChristoJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings
So much for the Dam Busters
Show threadCaledonia 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Jun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings Putin couldn’t give a poo for the Geneva Convention.
Show threadKris SamselJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings Nuclear Power Plants may not have enough cooling water, very soon. Putin is evil.
Show threadMacChoilighJun 6, 2023
@Pwnallthethings All sane people are wondering how this ends AND what happens afterwards.
Show threadBaron VonskinnbackJun 7, 2023
@Pwnallthethings I assume the UK was in breach of this with the dam busters then?