Happy United Nations ‘International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict’

Really?

On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (A/RES/56/4).

Though mankind has always counted its war casualties in terms of dead and wounded soldiers and civilians, destroyed cities and livelihoods, the environment has often remained the unpublicized victim of war.Water wells have been polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage.

More from the UN here.

Oh, and in other news:

Hundreds Were Raped on Congo-Angola Border

Here’s an idea for the UN. Let’s focus on things like the raping of women and children first, and then worry about environmental issues.