UK: Special Forces Probed for Afghan War Crimes

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

  • Suspending its policy of neither confirming nor denying Special Force operations, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that the military's Special Forces are at the heart of a war crimes inquiry.

  • Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, however, wants the identities of those involved in the probe — into the alleged summary executions of over 80 Afghan detainees between mid-2010 to mid-2013 — to be kept secret.


The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The British Special Forces have become a rogue criminal organization that killed dozens of innocent Afghans for years with impunity. The first inquiry into its illegal actions was completely inadequate and was deliberately planned to never get to the bottom of the heinous acts. While this agency may think it's above the law, the justice system must hold it accountable for war crimes.

Pro-establishment narrative

British Special Forces are among the world’s best military units, with state-of-the-art technology and specialized training that allow them to covertly neutralize terrorists around the globe and coordinate with allies. While some may criticize them, the Special Forces remain an invaluable asset to the UK military and play a pivotal role in British national security.


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

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