US (finally) admits 13 civilians died in coalition operation in Afghanistan

[bigtree]

1 hour ago

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. military says an investigation into a coalition operation in western Afghanistan has found that 13 civilians were among 16 people killed.

The U.S. originally said 15 militants were killed in Tuesday's strike in the Gozara district of Herat province. But Afghan officials contended six women and two children were among the dead, casting doubt on the U.S. claim.

A U.S. general traveled to Gozara to meet village elders and conduct an investigation.

The U.S. said Saturday that investigators found weapons and ammunition at the operation site, and concluded that 13 civilians were killed along with three militants.

U.S. Brig. Gen. Michael Ryan said the investigation proves how seriously the U.S. takes the civilian casualties.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvWEqwq3CrRvaQCmt21MfoYhjZJQD96G1NPO0


This type of revision has happened in almost every case where civilians were said to have been caught in the way of NATO's bullets or bombs. I would hope folks remember this when considering future reports and military statements labeling those killed as 'militant' or 'insurgent'.

[madokie]

1. This killing has to stop n/t

[NNN0LHI]

2. Petraeus needs to be removed immediately and replaced with this general

We found a good one here.

Don

[gratuitous]

3. Who filed the initial report?

This "15 militants" story started somewhere. Who wrote that report? Was that person lying or ignorant? Who was this person's commanding officer, that would accept the erroneous report? Will either of them be held responsible? Or is it SOP for the military to file erroneous reports?

Once we get that sorted out, can we go on to the question of why 13 civilians are dead? Who ordered the attack? Who carried it out? Did they know they were killing civilians, or just not bother to find out ahead of time? We seem to have a hair-trigger hysterical response when American civilians are killed; what response by the Afghans would we deem appropriate?