Anti-war campaigners call for an end to bombing Iraq, 2014. Demotix/Mark Kerrison. All rights reserved. Watching the debate to launch bombing raids over Syria in British Parliament on December 2, we were struck by the frequency with which many MPs, who supported the government’s motion to initiate air strikes, used the word ‘precision’ to describe the potential bombing of IS targets in Syria.
The words ‘precision bombing’ or ‘precision-guided missiles’ are used to make us think that British warplanes can go there and help the good guys, the so-called moderate rebels, without much, if any, collateral damage. To emphasise this point is considered important not just because many people think it is morally wrong to cause civilian casualties, but also because the killing of civilians can be used as a recruitment tool for the terrorist groups.
How precise are the precision bombs?
Much has been made of the accuracy of the so-called ‘precision bombing’. The word precision bombing (or smart bombing) refers to the aerial bombing of a target with some degree of accuracy, with the aim of limiting unintended, collateral damage.
