Even as US forces apologized and paid reparations yesterday for the wrongful deaths of 19 civilians a month ago, reports have come in that 21 more civilians were killed in a NATO airstrike last night. Reuters notes that the incident "brings to nearly 90 the number of civilian deaths blamed by Afghan officials on Western troops in the past two weeks". Public support for international counterinsurgency operations is shrinking.
NATO has announced its intent to change its operations to minimize civilian casualties (why the inquiry took so long to initiate is anyone's guess). The answer must include less reliance on air strikes, but what else, specifically, can be done if the military objectives remain unchanged?
Governor: Air raid kills 21 civilians in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, May 9, (Reuters) By Ismail Sameen: An air strike by Western forces killed 21 civilians, including women and children, in Afghanistan, a provincial governor said on Wednesday, the latest in a string of civilian casualties that has riled Afghans. MORE
The incident, which brings to nearly 90 the number of civilian deaths blamed by Afghan officials on Western troops in the past two weeks, comes as President Hamid Karzai faces rising pressure to halt the bloodshed and find a way to start peace talks with Taliban insurgents.
The air strike on Tuesday night hit houses in a village in the Sangin district of southern Helmand province, where Western forces have been hunting Taliban militants in recent weeks, Helmand governor Assadullah Wafa told Reuters.
"Last night, NATO forces carried out an operation in Sangin and as a result of its bombing, 21 civilians, including women and children and men, have been killed," he said.
NATO said its security force had not been active in that area on Tuesday but Wafa may have referring to a clash involving U.S.-led coalition troops hunting Taliban near Sangin, in which one coalition soldier was also killed the same day.
A U.S. military spokesman said he had heard reports about civilians killed in this clash but his information was that the only other people killed were militants.Wafa said he had no report of casualties among the Taliban...
While most civilian casualties in Afghanistan in recent years have been linked to the hands of Taliban militants, a rising number of deaths in "friendly fire" from Western troops has added to pressure on the government.
The U.S. commander for eastern Afghanistan, Army Colonel John Nicholson, apologised on Tuesday for the killing of 19 civilians by U.S. troops just over a month ago.
An inquiry is underway into UN and Afghan reports that around 50 civilians were killed in a coalition operation in the west late last month, one of several incidents that has prompted NATO to seek ways to change how it operates to minimise civilian casualties...
The government also faces criticism over rampant corruption and a lack of progress in rebuilding the country, despite billions of dollars in aid since the Taliban were ousted in 2001.Parliament's upper house called on Tuesday for increased efforts to negotiate with the Taliban and an end to Western military operations to hunt them.
In addition, a new political grouping that includes some government figures has called for some of the president's powers to be taken away and given to a new role of prime minister...
(Additional reporting by Sayed Sallahuddin in Kabul and Elyas Wahdat in Khost)
Well, at least the families of the civilians killed by marines in Nangarhar are getting $2000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/08/AR2007050801360.html
Does this seem a tad low for blood money?
Posted by: Joel Hafvenstein | May 11, 2007 at 06:09 AM
I always heard something from my neighbor that he sometimes goes to the internet bar to play the game which will use him some runescape gold
he usually can win a lot of rs gold
then he let his friends all have some runescape money
his friends thank him very much for introducing them the cheap rs gold. they usually buy runescape together.
Posted by: buy runescape | January 19, 2009 at 11:21 PM
wow power leveling , mirc and mırc
Posted by: lanet | February 06, 2009 at 01:21 PM
It is the shadow of legend Gold which make me very happy these days, my brother says sol gold is his favorite games gold he likes
, he usually buy some buy shadow of legend Gold to start his game and most of the time he will win the cheap shadow of legend Gold back and give me some shadow of legend money to play the game.
Posted by: shadow of legend Gold money | February 24, 2009 at 02:31 AM
Do you know latale online gold? I like it.
My brother often go to the internet bar to buy latale gold and play it.
After school, He likes playing games using these latale money with his friends.
I do not like to play it. Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many buy latale online gold and play the game with me.
I came to the bar following him and found cheap latale gold was so cheap. After that, I also go to play game with him.
Posted by: latale online gold | March 14, 2009 at 06:12 AM
Mobile PCs Dell Inspiron 1300 AC Adapter use a stylus Toshiba PA3467U-1ACA AC Adapter for input on a touch Dell Inspiron 6000 Series keyboard screen using an on-screen Dell Latitude D620 battery keyboard. The Mobile PC Samsung AD-4214L LCD AC Adapter may have capabilities Toshiba PA-1650-01 AC Adapter of handwriting recognition, allowing Dell Inspiron B130 AC Adapter the user to input Toshiba SADP-65KB AC Adapter text using the stylus Dell XPS M140 Series keyboard on the screen and usually offers selection, and drag and drop facility traditionally provided by the mouse using the stylus.Today, you can walk into Laptop parts many brick-and-mortar Laptop Acer AC Adapter electronics and computers retailers Gateway Laptop keyboard and expect to find laptop bargains. Toshiba Laptop keyboard They are just about everywhere. Dell Laptop AC Adapter Prices for bargain laptops have become so low that walking out of a store with one for yourself and Liteon Laptop AC Adapter and one for a friend is even an option. Laptop LCD AC Adapter To save the most money Acer Aspire 1200 AC Adapter when buying a bargain laptop Liteon PA-1131-08 AC Adapter or notebook Gateway PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Liteon PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Toshiba Laptop AC Adapter
Toshiba PA3467U-1ACA AC Adapter
Original Gateway PA-1650-01 AC Adapter
Toshiba PA3469U-1ACA AC Adapter
Acer PA-1650-02 AC Adaptercomputer, though, Delta PA-1650-02 AC Adapter going through a major online retailer Liteon PA-1131-08 AC Adapter is the best way to save the most money. Dell Laptop battery that is very important.
Posted by: lynn | April 29, 2009 at 11:50 PM
buy wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
my wow gold
cheapest wow power leveling
BUY wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
CHEAP rs gold
good wow power leveling
MY lotro gold
CHEAPEST aion gold
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
CHEAPEST wow gold
Posted by: wow gold | July 08, 2009 at 01:09 AM
cheap Christian Louboutin
Jimmy Choo shoes on sale
Rolex GMT watches replica
Posted by: replica chopard watches | December 10, 2009 at 04:20 AM
My girlfriend received the
Timberland Womens High Cut Boots I bought her for her birthday, she adores them, So I’ll be back before Christmas buy more
Timberland Womens Roll Top Boots from you.
Is it worth to spend the money on these high quality Timberland Mens Chukka Boots? Do you rate them or slate them?
Posted by: Timberland Boots | December 21, 2009 at 03:30 AM
replica watches
replica watch
replica Rado
Rolex Day-Date II watches
replica chopard
Hermes watch for sale
Posted by: Yves Saint Laurent | January 04, 2010 at 03:33 AM
cheap fake watches
watches replica
Rolex Day-Date II watch for sale
replica watch
watches for sale
replica Graham
Rolex Milgauss watches
replica movado
Rolex Day-Date II watches
Audemars Piguet replica
Posted by: Rolex watches | January 05, 2010 at 02:33 AM
TAG Heuer replica Watches
Chanel replica Watches
Omega replica Watches
Breitling replica Watches
Rolex replica Watches
Cartier replica Watches
Rado replica Watches
Panerai replica Watches
IWC replica Watches
Movado replica Watches
Patek Philippe replica Watches
Longines replica Watches
Oris replica Watches
Chopard replica Watches
Ebel replica Watches
Corum replica Watches
Audemars Piguet replica Watches
Bvlgari replica Watches
Franck Muller replica Watches
Jacob & Co. replica Watches
Jaeger LeCoultre replica Watches
Piaget replica Watches
Montblanc replica Watches
Concord replica Watches
Zenith replica Watches
Gucci replica Watches
Swatch replica Watches
Technomarine replica Watches
Tissot replica Watches
Nike replica Watches
A Lange & Sohne replica Watches
Vacheron Constantin replica Watches
Ulysse Nardin replica Watches
A Lange & Sohne replica watches
Audemars Piguet replica watches
Baume & Mercier replica watches
Bedat & CO replica watches
Blancpain replica watches
Breguet replica watches
Breitling replica watches
Bvlgari replica watches
Cartier replica watches
Chanel replica watches
Chopard replica watches
Concord replica watches
Corum replica watches
Franck Muller replica watches
Gucci replica watches
IWC replica watches
Jacob & Co. replica watches
Jaeger LeCoultre replica watches
Japanese Rolex replica watches
Longines replica watches
Louis Vuitton replica watches
Omgea replica watches
Oris replica watches
Panerai replica watches
Patek Philippe replica watches
Piaget replica watches
Rado replica watches
Raymond Weil replica watches
Rolex Ladies replica watches
Swiss Chanel Ceramic Watch
Swiss Rolex ETA replica watches
Tag Heuer replica watches
Tissot replica watches
Tudor replica watches
Ulysse Nardin replica watches
Vacheron Constantin replica watches
Zenith replica watches
Posted by: luxury watches | January 05, 2010 at 08:50 AM
Aigner replica
Bell&Ross replica
Cartier replica
Dior replica
Dolce&Gabbana replica
Ebel replica
Emporio Armani replica
Graham Replica Watches replica
Hermes Watches replica
IWC replica
Jaeger Lecoultre replica
Longines replica
Movado replica
Oris replica
Patek Philippe replica
Philip Stein replica
Rado replica
Roger Dubuis replica
Sarcar replica
Tag Heuer replica
Technomarine replica
Tissot replica
Vacheron Constantin replica
Zenith replica
Chanel replica
LouisVuitton replica
Alain Silberstein replica
Bvlgari replica
Omega replica
A Lange & Sohne replica
Audemars Piguet replica
Breitling replica
Breguet replica
Gucci replica
Porsche Design replica
Mont Blanc replica
Japan Rolex replica
Chopard replica
Corum replica
Franck Muller replica
Glashutte replica
Jacob & Co replica
TagHeuer replica
Panerai replica
Swiss Rolex replica
Christian Dior replica
Balenciaga replica
D&G replica
Jimmy Choo replica
Chloe replica
YSL replica
Marc Jacobs replica
Bally replica
Miu Miu replica
Mulberry replica
Thomas Wylde replica
Loewe replica
Franck Muller replica
Versace replica
Cartier replica
Louis Vuitton replica
Gucci replica
Prada replica
Fendi replica
Chanel replica
Coach replica
Hermes replica
Posted by: luxury watch | January 06, 2010 at 03:50 AM