Petraeus Apologizes for Deaths of Nine Afghan Children
Anti-US Protests Reported in Kunar After Latest Killings
General Davis Petraeus today announced that the US is “deeply sorry” for yesterday’s air strike in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan, a strike which killed nine children who were collecting firewood.
“These deaths should never have happened,” Petraeus insisted in the wake of angry condemnation from President Hamid Karzai and public protests on the streets of the Kunar Province, where there was already anger about a NATO offensive which killed 65 other civilians last month.
Reports say that several hundred protesters from nearby villages flocked to the capital of the province, chanting “death to America” and insisting apologies were simply not good enough any more, after nearly 10 years of NATO offensives.
But today’s apology was more than the victims of the previous offensive got, which was allegations by Gen. Petraeus that parents were deliberately burning their children to make NATO look bad and accusations that the locals were distributing “Taliban propaganda.”
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- No Deal: US Restarted Pakistan Drone Strikes Despite Objections - February 22nd, 2012
- Syrian National Council Demands Foreign Invasion - February 22nd, 2012
- State Dept.: Pakistani Taliban 'Not Welcome' at Truce Talks - February 22nd, 2012
- Israeli FM: Our Decision to Attack Iran None of US, Russia's Business - February 22nd, 2012
- Hunger Strike Ends, but Adnan's Detention Without Charges Doesn't - February 22nd, 2012
Observator
March 2nd, 2011 at 8:51 pm
A polite war criminal, looks like American Century phenomenon. Will make a good PR officer in retirement.
Hallie Burtonn
March 2nd, 2011 at 8:58 pm
LOL, leave.
tommauel
March 2nd, 2011 at 9:36 pm
On Monday, Feb. 28, 2011, two US soldiers died from an IED attack in Wardak province.
Staff Sgt. Chauncy R. Mays, 25, of Cookville, Texas and Sgt. Christopher J. Stark, 22, of Monet, MD, were reported killed in action by the Dept. pf Defense on Wed., March, 2, 2011.
Spc. Randolph R. Hixon 22, of Los Angeles, CA, died Feb. 28, 2011 in Logar province from an IED attack.
skulzfontaine
March 2nd, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Gosh, "we're sorry we are ever so sorry." That is some pretty weak gruel there Davy 'gravy'. Yes it is.
Chris
March 2nd, 2011 at 9:47 pm
What's your point?
Janine
March 2nd, 2011 at 10:05 pm
That is sad for their families- but they were adults who made the choice to join the army and become soldiers ,to fight -kill and maybe die in war.
That cannot be compared to the deaths of children – killed by soldiers of that army.
Jamal
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:16 am
Is there anything like justice exist in USA or for that matter EU.., if is so.., then why this man and people like George W. Bush and Tony Blair are not in court defending themselves.., why US government.., especially Bill – Hillary Clinton or presidents and people like Hennery Kissinger, Madeline Albright or Paul Wolfowitz or Richard Pearl, Paul Bremer and many more are not sorry killing people for decades.
Avi of Mondoweiss
March 3rd, 2011 at 2:13 am
The US has slaughtered thousands of civilians in Afghanistan, yet you're trying to make a case for moral equivalence, as though one attack justifies the other.
With citizens like you, this country has no future. People like you are the source of the problem.
ghouri
March 3rd, 2011 at 2:21 am
What will change, nothing NATO and us forces will kill civilians and then appology but the children will not come back they dead.
This is a dirty war against civilians since 9/11 in which none was involved except us itself. but the west has lossed all the credibility and so called human values and life. They have double faces.
dsmith
March 3rd, 2011 at 4:01 am
This is the one that got reported. I suspect the real number of innocent civilians killed each month would weaken the knees of even the staunchest supporter of these two unncessary wars.
emistruth
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:23 am
Let's hear a shout out from the millions of America's so-called Pro-lifers. Afghan children collecting firewood have as much of a right to life as the "unborn."
astonished22
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:05 am
The power players who control a trillion dollar/yr military budget are morally depraved. There is no defense for slaughtering civilians and children. Sorry! Contemptible. The US is despised by the majority of the countries who have been on the receiving end of America's imperialism. I have voted in every election, straight Dem for 30 years. As an American citizen and taxpayer, I am sick of voting for these warmongers of both parties. Enough. I will not give my consent by voting to anyone who condones this madness.
henry garner
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:45 am
Let’s go turkey shooting!!!!!! Yay!!!….Strafe 9 kids looking for firewood. Sounds like the cyber-game the kids were playing when they used an Apache and ground back-up to kill the journos in Baghdad…….. So what. We use big bombs to soften the people, before we go in…..and if they still put up a fight…….what the hell, we drop a-bombs on one Japanese city and just to satisfy ourselves that it wasn’t a fluke, we drop another one, on another city full of women and children, the next day!!!!!!!!!! Yayyyy!!!!!!
tommauel
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:06 pm
I am not trying to make a moral equivalence. I am trying to get the news out concerning US combat deaths that go unreported in the main stream media. The main stream media reports zero combat deaths because they don't want the American public to know the extent of US losses in Afghanistan. The US military is currently attempting to portray success in Helmand and Kandahar when the numerous US combat deaths there over the last several months suggest otherwise.
j r
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:07 pm
The more crap these assholes have pinned to their jackets the more they look like clowns, which is what they are, killer clowns.
tommauel
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:36 pm
I am trying to report what the main stream media refuses to report, US combat deaths in Afghanistan. Oprah had a guest on her show that had been severely wounded in Afghanistan along with Michelle Obama. It was only the third week of January, 2011 but the guest pointed out that already 17 US soldiers had died in Afghanistan this year. Oprah said, " I did not know that." When the guest pointed out that nearly 500 US soldiers died in Afghanistan in 2010 Oprah said again, "I did not know that." Recently the US military has been trying to sell the idea that great progress is being made in Helmand province. The dozens of dead US soldiers reported killed there in the last several months would lead any sober observer to believe otherwise.
thedissenter
March 3rd, 2011 at 12:55 pm
Is this the same Petraus that accused the parents of burning their own children in order to blame the US for their deaths or a different one?
What a sick bastard! And to think that it is the people of the ME who are rising and deposing their dictators. Ha!
Bianca
March 3rd, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I hope I get your point. The soldier deaths are minimized and obfuscated in order to keep the outcry down, and appearance of progress intact. N the meantime, every few years there will be another surge of it's reincarnation under another name, so that the "operation" can continue for fun and profit of the few. Staying forever is the goal, even if they will have to destroy all retirements, social seecurity, health care and education. We can raise kids to be "warriors", as trere will be no other jobs to be held. The trillions sitting off shore have a great plan. We can be just born to serve them in the quest of their empire. Since they already own congress, easy task, qor so they think.
pendulum
March 3rd, 2011 at 2:46 pm
invade a country killing all who look funny to you will not bring a lot of sympathy, what kind of bozo joins up knowing they are supposed to kill kids, moms and dads. So my response is SO WHAT.
Dave Zeller
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:59 pm
awwwwwww!
Hafeez
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:16 pm
"weaken the knees of even the staunchest supporter "
I think not. That will require a conscience, which such people do not have.