Five Afghan civilians in the deseprately poor Kapisa Province were killed today by NATO troops while they were out hunting. NATO saw them, three men with bird-hunting rifles and two boys (aged 12 and 13), assumed they were insurgents, killing them.
NATO has promised an “investigation” into the killings but initially termed all the slain insurgents, even though the two children were unarmed and the others had bird hunting gear, not exactly the insurgency’s weapons of choice.
They insisted, however, that hunting is officially banned in Kapisa, specifically to prevent this sort of “accidental” killing. Though this is true, food is said to be in short supply in the province this winter, so many are turning to hunting anyhow in an effort to survive.
The killings are just the latest in a growing string of embarrassing NATO killings of civilians in the northeastern part of the country. Last week NATO killed scores of civilians in Kunar, and earlier this week bombed a family in their home in Nangarhar.
NATO can dictate that there should be no hunting in specific regions to make their military actions easier, but it doesn't help the poor people who are starving. When will the Western world get its act together and get the hell out of that country so that they can go about their usual business by rules they understand. If the carnage in Afghanistan can be justified to eliminate a few al Queda crazies, where will NATO dare not to go? As a Canadian, I want my troops to disobey the NATO commands and come home.
And here you have it, folks- proof positive that our program to 'win the hearts and minds' of the local population is working! What better way to win hearts and minds than to splatter them across the countryside- especially when we go for the gusto and don't even have a positive ID on the targets! And this from ground troops who should have been able to see what was going on- for shame, guys. Way to go, team.
Now this entire article begs the question: exactly what NATO forces were involved? I'm seeing a trend of 'NATO forces' being mentioned in articles without any identification as to whose forces they are. I'm beginning to wonder if we can't just go ahead and translate 'NATO forces' as 'US forces'? We already know that 'suspected missile strikes' that take out buildings and civilians by the score can be translated as 'Predator drone strikes'- as if the Taliban/Al-Qaeda boys have drones and missiles that might be mistaken for ours.
Now for the more important question- what is going to be done to the guys who blew away all these men? What is going to be done for the wives and children left behind to fend for themselves? The reason the men were out there was because their families are hungry, and "NATO forces" killed them for it. Congratulations, team- you got your body count for today. Now go tell the wives and mothers all about it. May Allah(swt) protect your own children from men like yourselves.
The blackout of US combat deaths by AntiWar continues. For six consecutive days a US soldier has died in Afghanistan including three soldiers killed in Helmand province. From February 17th, 2011, through Feb. 22nd, at least one US soldier has died in Afghanistan. Just last week a US general claimed success in Helmand and that the Taliban had been pushed to the fringes of the province. The general is able to get away with these lies because no one in the corporate or the alternative media is willing to report on the ongoing slaughter of US soldiers.
Well I was wrong today as the NY Times article describes the withdrawal from a remote valley in Kunar and even mentions that 107 US soldiers died there. But one day is not enough. AntiWar reported on US losses every day during the Iraq war and should do the same for the Afghan war. It is imperative that the American public be informed about the nearly daily losses of US soldiers in order to build opposition to end this hidden war.
"Embarassing" killings? As in 'Boy, was my face red when I realised I'd wiped out that family.'?
The real terrorists are in Washington. The war criminal Obama won´t be able to go abroad without being arrested when he is replaced. Evil, crazy men Bush,Obama. Has Obama been threatened on his life to be Bush 3rd ?
For nine years, the Americans bombed Laos at a rate of one load of bombs every eight minutes. Villagers dug holes in the ground and lived in them for a decade, and if they were caught outside when a bomber came over, they were killed. A third of the country is now contaminated by cluster bombs. It's beyond belief–and in fact–few believe it.