“On Saturday, October 3 MSF’s trauma hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan—where we have been working for four years—was repeatedly hit by direct, focused, and sustained air strikes.

“Any deliberately targeted attack on civilians and protected structures during war is a violation of International Humanitarian Law and can constitute a war crime. MSF’s public statements about this incident have no political aim. We are defending our rights as an impartial and independent emergency medical aid organization, and seeking accountability for a clear violation of the very laws that make our work possible.

“In order for MSF to deliver lifesaving medical treatment to patients in conflict zones who otherwise have no access to healthcare, we require that all warring parties respect the Geneva Conventions and other international laws that forbid targeting medical facilities and staff.

“The attacks on the Kunduz Trauma Center lasted for more than one hour, and continued for 30 minutes after desperate calls from MSF team members to both Afghan and Coalition forces asking them to stop bombing the hospital.

“The attack on the MSF hospital in Kunduz was the biggest loss of life for our organization in an airstrike. Our patients burned in their beds. MSF doctors, nurses and other staff were killed as they worked. Our colleagues had to operate on each other. One of our doctors died on an improvised operating table – an office desk – while his colleagues tried to save his life. ”  (Lightly edited)

How could such a thing happen, given the huge financial outlay on “intelligence” on the part of the United States?  Yes, at least an apology has been made, but it highlights the futility of the Afghan war and the incompetence of those who have run it.  Whether it is Iraq, Libya or Afghanistan the military and the intelligence services have underlined the inappropriateness of foreign adventures.  Epicurus was right about foreign wars.

(The writer is a donor to MSF, one of the most effective non-profits in the world).