Did you know that "civilian casualties in Afghanistan were posing a strategic challenge to U.S. battlefield success?" That's what Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told reporters earlier this week, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. In fact, he's worried that civilian deaths might make ordinary Afghans turn against the coalition and shift their support to the Taliban!
Seems to me many of us have been saying that for the last seven years, that the war would create more opposition to the U.S., more terrorists, homegrown and otherwise, although we've been fortunate not to have another Iraq/Afghan war-related attack on U.S. soil since the war began. But do you notice that Gates is worried about the Taliban? I thought it was Al Qaeda who was responsible for 9/11.
The latest apology (but not the latest civilian death) came earlier this month when NATO admitted that a night raid had led to the death of two men and three women.
NATO said its troops had entered the house on Feb. 12 in Gardez district of Paktia province, believing an insurgent was inside. They killed the two men because they carried weapons, although later learned they were not insurgents.Why are we still at war? What the hell is the matter with the so-called Left? Why does Obama get a pass when responsibility for every civilian death before the election was laid at the feet of George Bush?
"We now understand that the men killed were only trying to protect their families," Brigadier General Eric Tremblay, spokesman for NATO-led forces, said in the statement. The three women were killed during the shooting, NATO said.
NATO had earlier said its troops had found the women already killed, bound and gagged, but later acknowledged that this was untrue. Troops who visited the scene had made the mistake after seeing the bodies bound in preparation for burial, it said Reuters.
Photo from Times Online.
3 comments:
You're right that in Afghanistan and other battlefields civilians die. It is perfectly true of the war are not in any way. But I ask myself something! Did you know that terrorists generally speaking, still in kindergarten and learn to be a martyr? Why are so many dead among civilians? Malicious Afghan women and children put in front to front nobody can touch them. It's nice that? This is a holy war as they say?
How can say it is a holy war? Where to write out the Koran (and I think there either) that dying for their country?
Even if the U.S. would take a decision together with Europe to stop the wars around the world, what do you think would say terrorists? I think it would come to our homes and would oblige us to do what they say. Want to get Islamic slavery?
hi all!
I see we have a friend in common, above! We had begun working out ideas for a bloggers unite day for Fiji.
As for octopi, I can't believe the coincidence. My mate and I were talking about that last night. I have a thing for Humboldt Squid: a diver locked himself in a cage, and the squid tried to pick his pocket!!! If that's not intelligence, I don't know what is! Left a post on my site, been SO sick. I have links somewhere for you, but we are going to have dupes...I 3will be in touch. Wonderful site as always, gave you a write up somewhere: good for the eye, easy to read, spacing, and topics. You have beautiful piece of work here. Will be in touch and operational ASAP. Until then, sweet tides, as always Linda
Linda, nice to hear from you, hope spring brings you better health.
Eci si Cami, I do think that ending our wars would take away most of the incentive for terrorism.
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