High Civilian Toll Seen in U.S. Raid in Afghanistan -- New York Times
KABUL, Afghanistan — American airstrikes that Afghan officials and villagers said Wednesday had killed dozens and perhaps more than 100 civilians in western Afghanistan threaten to stiffen Afghan opposition to the war just as the Obama administration is sending 20,000 more troops to the country.
The reports offered a grim backdrop to talks on Wednesday afternoon in Washington between President Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, whose office called the civilian deaths “unjustifiable and unacceptable.”
If the higher toll proves true, the bombardment, which took place late Monday, will almost certainly be the worst in terms of civilian deaths since the American intervention began in 2001. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said there would be a joint investigation and she expressed regret at the loss of civilian lives, although she cautioned that the full circumstances were not known. Defense Department officials said investigators were looking into the possibility that Taliban militants were responsible for the civilian deaths.
The reports offered a grim backdrop to talks on Wednesday afternoon in Washington between President Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, whose office called the civilian deaths “unjustifiable and unacceptable.”
If the higher toll proves true, the bombardment, which took place late Monday, will almost certainly be the worst in terms of civilian deaths since the American intervention began in 2001. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said there would be a joint investigation and she expressed regret at the loss of civilian lives, although she cautioned that the full circumstances were not known. Defense Department officials said investigators were looking into the possibility that Taliban militants were responsible for the civilian deaths.
If the higher toll proves true, the bombardment, which took place late Monday, will almost certainly be the worst in terms of civilian deaths since the American intervention began in 2001. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said there would be a joint investigation and she expressed regret at the loss of civilian lives, although she cautioned that the full circumstances were not known. Defense Department officials said investigators were looking into the possibility that Taliban militants were responsible for the civilian deaths.
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Update: Military: Taliban Were Beheading Locals -- CBS
My Comment: The Taliban have used human shields in the past .... and U.S. bombs were still dropped on them. Did the same happen in this part of Afghanistan .... I do not know if they did but I would not be surprised.
The Afghan war is now entering a new and dangerous phase, and human casualties are going to be bearing the brunt of this escalation. What happened in these villages may be a sign of what is about to come.
Read more ....
Update: Military: Taliban Were Beheading Locals -- CBS
My Comment: The Taliban have used human shields in the past .... and U.S. bombs were still dropped on them. Did the same happen in this part of Afghanistan .... I do not know if they did but I would not be surprised.
The Afghan war is now entering a new and dangerous phase, and human casualties are going to be bearing the brunt of this escalation. What happened in these villages may be a sign of what is about to come.