At least 70 people and possibly many more were killed today in a pair of major NATO air strikes against what NATO are calling “insurgent” targets. Locals launched public protests in the wake of the attacks to complain over civilian deaths in the strikes.
NATO denied that any civilians had been killed in either while protesters said that most or all of the victims of the Laghman strike were actually innocent civilians. Taliban spokespeople denied having any forces in the area as well, suggesting civilian deaths.
The other strike in Khost Province targeted people trying to cross the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The identities of these people aren’t known either, but while NATO said they killed 42 “suspects” in the strike, the provincial police chief said NATO had actually killed as many as 200.
Since Gen. David Petraeus took over in Afghanistan the number of air strikes has been increasing, and so have the number of civilian deaths. Shortly before last week’s election NATO launched an air strike against a vehicle convoy which they assumed to be “insurgents” but which later turned out to be campaign workers, killing 10 and wounding a candidate for parliament.
Same old mass murder. Getting kind of tiring, I barely even work anymore, sickens me to know what they do with my tax dollars.
Hunting and exterminating Savages since 1492.
NATO denies murdering another batch of civilians (Afghans, not real people of course) and the Taliban denies having forces in the area. Democratic ideals are held high as locals are forbidden to protest the slaughter of their neighbours by the puppet-police.
Judging from past experience, the odds that NATO told the truth as opposed to the Taliban telling the truth is overwhelmingly in favor of the Taliban. I mean they're damn close to certainty.
I fail to see, if this is not that rare exception to standard practice, how once more NATO committing mass-murder in an endless series to go on and blatantly lie about it in the hope that ignoring reality will make it go away is this time going to work out just fine.
I am saddened by this article. Truth can be depressing…
Humans are slimey.
"Deth from above"
The motto of more than one unit of the greatest force for good in the history of the world.
Given each time someone gets arrested on terrorism charges the end up free cos of lack of evidence….. how come they're so sure they've killed 'terrorists' with these drones… and how civilised is that..??….. ironic given that the people doing the killing claim they're out there bringing freedom and democracy…
Is there any way to stop these monsters?
Note that this is perfectly predictable behavior when you give a bunch of guys murderous toys and turn them loose with no accountability. This rule applies to General Petraeus as much as to the video jockeys pulling the drones' triggers. They will not ever stop this on their own; they're having fun; they think they're doing the right thing.
So someone else has to stop them. Can this be done?