For the second time in a week, a US military operation in Afghanistan has ended with a large number of civilians dead, and US officials offering very dubious arguments as to why it wasn’t their fault.
The Sunday night attack saw US and Afghan commandos raid a house in Helmand Province, and ultimately launch airstrikes. The attack killed at least 40 civilians, including a number of children.
Instead of the Taliban building they thought they were raiding, it turns out the airstrike pounded an ongoing wedding reception. The Afghan government has already admitted to what happened, saying they are “saddened” by the deaths and want to take extra caution in the future.
Because the US is on one of those kicks where they don’t take responsibility for anything, the US statement confirmed the airstrike but denied killing civilians. They claimed the attack targeted al-Qaeda, and suggested any civilians “died from al-Qaeda weapons,” and not from the US dropping bombs on them.
This all comes just days after an incident in Nangarhar Province, where the US attacked and killed scores of civilian farm laborers who were hired for a pine nut harvest. This attack was launched even though the village in question specifically informed everyone weeks in advance that the harvest was happening, and got assurances they wouldn’t be attacked.
The US attacked, of course, killing 32 civilians, including children. The US went on to claim everyone was pretending to be harvesting pine nuts, and that it was secretly all ISIS people.
The Pentagon’s priorities on Afghanistan have changed repeatedly throughout the war, sometimes admitting to and apologizing for civilian casualties, while other times they deny everything. Either way, the end result is to sweep it under the rug with no policy changes, and the number of civilian deaths continues apace.
How can the drone-warriors in Arizona or Nevada ever admit to killing civilians? The Hellfire missiles they launch are programmed to kill only ISIS terrorists. Therefore, any wedding party or pinenut-picking farmers must be the enemy. Congressional Medal of Honor, coming your way, warriors.
“Because the US is on one of those kicks where they don’t take responsibility for anything, the US statement confirmed the airstrike but denied killing civilians”
And when wasn’t the US on that kick? Ever?
Let me guess:. It was actually ISIS militants pretending to have a wedding?
Now that is more up our alley. Clearly, being able to prevent an aerial attack on major oil installation — AND not having a clue where the attack came from – that is too hard. Back to what we do well.
So much winning…
Was there ever a more cowardly crew of cretins than the US military in the 21st Century?
What about the 18th, 19th and 20th century?
Each century we get a little more cowardly. Always got to have growth.
True….and always picking a fight with poor and weak countries.
Even those, the mighty US military can`t beat.
Well, I think they are brainwashed patriot wannabes who desperately need jobs that disappeared when the corporate vultures wanted to increase their profits by switching to slave labor overseas.
I am surprised they didn’t try to blame this latest atrocity on Iran.
The psychopaths are in charge of the asylum.
Oh well, they weren’t billionaires so it really doesn’t matter if they all died by mistake or intentionally. As long as the same usual suspects end up with all the resources and power in the end the empire is happy and all is right with the world.
And what if all those times any government was ‘saddened and resolved to take more caution in the future’, they actually took that caution instead of just issuing the hallmark-card equivalent of an “oops”?
The US are experts in handling out gifts at poor peoples funerals and weddings.
Such a compassionate and generosity from the American people.
Another Pinkville.
The US regime cares for innocent life as much as Planned Parenthood does for unborn babies. Barbarians they all are.
Again, if you want the truth sadly you have to listen to the Taliban.
So ISIS people, including children were posing as harvesters opine nuts? That’s as phony as everything else claimed by this government. Oh yeah, and
the economy is booming.