The 1977 Geneva Convention, Article 56, states that bombing power plants is a war crime, yet some have argued that the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is a legitimate military target because it is located on a military base.
According to the Geneva Convention’s Rules of War, which have been ratified by the U.S.A. (and the Islamic Republic of Iran), the law forbids the bombing of power plants, even when the power plants are located on a military base.
What that means is that President Trump threatened to commit a war crime on Saturday, March 21, when he announced plans to bomb Iran’s power plants. Currently, only one of Iran’s estimated 90 power plants is nuclear, but according to Article 56:
“… dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations, shall not be made the object of attack, even where these objects are military objectives, if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population. Other military objectives located at or in the vicinity of these works or installations shall not be made the object of attack …”
In international law, the term “dangerous forces” specifically refers to “dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations, and other installations …” (Source).
Article 56 of the Geneva Convention protects the now-shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) even though it is located on the beach of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Yet Reuters, and Singapore’s Channel News Asia, (CNA), are reporting that Iran is planning to attack civilian power plants. Yesterday, Iran threatened “global retaliation” according to Germany’s Deutsche Welle.
According to Charles Langley, the executive director of Public Watchdogs, “Iran’s threat to attack power plants could also include bombing the 3.6 million pounds of deadly nuclear waste stored on the beach at the site of the failed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. It would be the world’s biggest dirty bomb.”
Today, Amnesty International denounced the planned bombing of Iran’s power plants, saying “President Donald Trump must retract deeply irresponsible threats of acts that would unleash catastrophic harm on millions of civilians,” according to Amnesty International Human Rights Attorney, Erika Guevara-Rosas, who also said “The decision to not proceed with such attacks must be based on the USA’s obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid civilian harm – not the outcome of political negotiations.”
Yesterday, on March 23, Al Jazeera reported that President Trump has commanded the newly named “Department of War” to ” postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
Iran has denied that it has engaged in negotiations with the Trump Administration, and has vowed to attack “U.S. infrastructure.”
It is our prayer that they do not attack San Onofre. In the meantime, the International Red Cross has stated that “War on essential infrastructure is war on civilians.”
Get a map of alleged Iranian nuclear-related facilities, including uranium mines.
CNA News Link:
Map of Iran’s Nuclear Power Plants and Uranaium Mines.