The Afghan government may now be turning against us, in part because of increased civilian deaths incurred during U.S. operations. http://www.guardian....
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday calling on the government to open dialogue with Taliban fighters and prohibiting international forces from firing their weapons and launching raids unless they come under attack first.
And this action was taken before the tragic news today of significant civilian casualties in another operation: http://news.yahoo.co...
Airstrikes called in by U.S. Special Forces soldiers fighting with insurgents in southern Afghanistan killed at least 21 civilians, officials said Wednesday. One coalition soldier was also killed. Helmand provincial Gov. Assadullah Wafa said Taliban fighters sought shelter in villagers' homes during the fighting in the Sangin district Tuesday evening, and that subsequent airstrikes killed 21 civilians, including several women and children.Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly said more must be done to prevent civilian casualties during military operations. He warned last week, after reports that 51 civilians were killed in the west, that Afghanistan "can no longer accept civilian casualties they way they occur."
The bill was passed in the upper house of parliament. It would also need lower house approval and would need to be signed by President Hamid Karzai before coming law.
The parliamentary bill limits negotiations to Afghan Taliban militants, not Pakistani Taliban fighters or al-Qaida operatives. It would prohibit international forces from launching military operations unless they are attacked or have first consulted with the Afghan army, government or police. A U.S. military spokesman, said he was aware of the lawmakers' action but did not have an immediate response.
This is the other side of the Bush "legacy," the failure to capture Bin Laden, and the failure to provide adequate resources to stabilize and reconstruct the country.
Oh, great.
The toll of civilians killed in bombing by coalition forces on Tuesday night was much higher than the official figure of 21, and may be as high as 50 or even 80, residents reached by telephone said Thursday.