(Two) U.S. civilians die in Afghan battle

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/central/10/27/afghan.attack/index.html

Two U.S. civilians were killed in a raid against suspected Taliban and al Qaeda forces, Pentagon sources said.

The civilians, identified as State Department contract workers, died in a gunfight on the weekend, southwest of the Afghan border town of Shkin. The two were working with Afghan army troops.

Ten suspected enemy fighters also died in the fighting, killed by Afghan army troops backed by U.S. helicopters and war planes, the sources added Monday.

While some sources indicated to CNN the dead Americans may have been working for the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA referred all inquiries to the State Department.

"They are listed as State Department contract security officers," a U.S. official told CNN.

[Sagan]

1. mercenaries

why dont' they just say it?

[IndianaGreen]

6. Mercenaries for sure!

I wonder who they worked for, MPRI perhaps?

http://www.mpri.com/site/capabilities.html

[northzax]

2. we're using mercenaries now?

The Army needs State Department Security guys to help out on raids and the like? what's up with that?

[Barrett808]

3. Probably DynCorp, on CIA contract

Or even CIA operatives.

[Sushi_lover]

4. Coffin questions

Will the coffins come through Dover AFB?

Will they get flags?

Will photographers be allowed to photograph them?

I feel bad for their families. These guys died a military death. Some sort of fairness instinct in me says they deserve a military funeral.

[Bozita]

7. No cameras allowed at Dover AFB -- Isn't that a "media filter?"

Happy news only.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

5. Civilians? No. Illegal Combatants? Yes.

They are illegal combatants just like the people sitting in Guantanamo. Of course I don't expect the US media to point out this simularity...