Last Updated 9/4/09 8:30 PM EST
At least 95 people were killed this morning, a large number of them civilians, in a US air strike in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. Though the US denied that any of the people killed were civilians, NATO acknowledged that there was “a possibility” that some civilians were killed.
The attack occurred after militants captured two fuel tankers overnight from a nearby German base. The Germans sent up a drone to look for the tanker, and after they found it called in a US jet to launch attacks on it, setting off a huge fireball.
Though the US claims efforts were made to ensure that there were no civilians in the area, provincial officials say nearly 500 villagers came at the invitation of the insurgents to syphon fuel from the tankers and many were still present at the time of the attack.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said it was unacceptable for NATO to deliberately target civilians, and promised an immediate investigation into the strike. The United Nations has also dispatched investigators for a probe into the killings.
If confirmed, the strike would be the deadliest since early May, when US air strikes killed around 140 civilians in the Farah Province. The US conceded that “mistakes” were made in that strike, after over a month of denying that any civilians were killed, but took no action against those responsible.
The U.S./NATO seem to have no clue as to whom gets targeted. Wouldn't that be "indiscriminate targeting"? Gen. Stan the mad bomber man must find that manner of slaughter to be holistic. Yeah, to say the least.
"The U.S./NATO seem to have no clue as to whom gets targeted"
Jesus Christ, how many american or nato soldiers go in even knowing what languages are spoken let alone where. and throw in all of those brave soldiers who never set foot on the soil or hear them speak, or see their faces.
the idea that in any way shape or form any of the past 8 years of aerial bombing and night raids has been "discriminate" in absurd.
the only thing i can think to call the current operations in iraq and afpak is simply genocide, we go in drop some huge bases around the country destroy the social order encourage civil war, and sit back and kill anyone that turns their attention towards the occupation all the while bombing from the air, funding armed militias and attacking random villages based on tips about the whereabouts of "terrorist" who apparently need massive territorial expanses to "plot " attacks.
and as we now have seen from the embassy photos there does not really seem to be an atmosphere of discipline and accountability.
those poor ignorant children we send there have no idea how to cope with being the de facto lords of those lands and in 10- 20 years i assume (if we are out and not waring on ourselves)we will learn just how much cruelty and what heinous crimes where forced on to these kids.
and far less important than the genocide abroad is the fact that every grievance osama bin laden has stated as reason for 9-11 the cole ect. has been exacerbated beyond imagination. and one can only imagine the fascist responses to another serous wave of terrorism.
I have seen this story before- about three or four dozen times in the last 8 years. Dozens of civilians get killed by a US bomb, drone, or troops on the ground and the spin/lie machine goes into high gear damage control. The professional media liar contractors that handle the PR clean up for these mass murder events throw out wholly false stories – made up out of whole cloth- in the first few days blaming the "Taliban" or "Al Qaeda" and then- the truth might seep out over the next few weeks or months- by which time the story is already dead.
This should be comical. I wonder if there will even be a "stolen tanker truck" in two months time.
"It never happened. Nothing ever happened. Even while it was happening it wasn't happening. It didn't matter. It was of no interest."
-Harold Pinter
The Americans should give up all pretence of giving a damn about the lives Afghan civilians. Their lies ring so hollow as the killing goes on, and on, and on…
That is not the way guerillas operate. The people who stole the tankers were in all likelihood simply thieves. The Taliban denies any loses…the local satrap for the Kabul drug ring says there were Taliban casualties…Who to believe?–the Taliban, of course. The thieves were busy selling it to villagers after the trucks became stuck when they were all incinerated by the brave NATO pilots.
Now that all of southern Afghanistan detests NATO, the mercenaries and storm troopers of the Treaty Organization are trying to piss more people off. Way to go McCrystal…you're not just anybody's fool…
"The U.S./NATO seem to have no clue as to whom gets targeted"
how many american or nato soldiers go in even knowing what languages are spoken let alone where. and throw in all of those brave soldiers who never set foot on the soil or hear them speak, or see their faces.
the idea that in any way shape or form any of the past 8 years of aerial bombing and night raids has been "discriminate" in absurd.
the only thing i can think to call the current operations in iraq and afpak is simply genocide, we go in drop some huge bases around the country destroy the social order encourage civil war, and sit back and kill anyone that turns their attention towards the occupation all the while bombing from the air, funding armed militias and attacking random villages based on tips about the whereabouts of "terrorist" who apparently need massive territorial expanses to "plot " attacks.
and as we now have seen from the embassy photos there does not really seem to be an atmosphere of discipline and accountability.
those poor ignorant children we send there have no idea how to cope with being the de facto lords of those lands and in 10- 20 years i assume (if we are out and not waring on ourselves)we will learn just how much cruelty and what heinous crimes where forced on to these kids.
and far less important than the genocide abroad is the fact that every grievance osama bin laden has stated as reason for 9-11 the cole ect. has been exacerbated beyond imagination. and one can only imagine the fascist responses to another serous wave of terrorism.
(PS this is the second post of this comment showed up on intense debate but not on anti war so if it web problems here it is again and if its cencorship here it is again )