Sharp Rise in Afghan Civilian Casualties

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Sharp Rise in Afghan Civilian Casualties, U.N. Says
By ROD NORDLAND


KABUL — The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan continues to climb in the first half of 2010, but more than ever, those deaths were caused by insurgents fighting the government and the American-led coalition, the United Nations said in a report released Tuesday.

In a semi-annual report , the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said he number of civilians wounded and killed in the conflict increased by nearly a third, 31 percent in the first six months of the year.

More than three-fourths, 76 percent, of the civilian casualties were attributable to “anti-government elements,” the report said, using United Nations terminology for insurgents. That was an increase of 53 percent over the same period, Jan. 1 to June 30, in 2009, it added.

“This is a wakeup call for us,” the top United Nations official in Kabul, Staffan de Mistura, told a news conference. “By looking at the figures we suddenly have a trend of increase which we have the duty to raise publicly, in particularly with those who are causing these deaths.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/11/world/asia/11afghan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

[RandomThoughts]

1. Why in articles do they say government

without explaining what type of government they are talking about?

In society there are many overlapping forms of governance. Anything that effects social policy is a form of governance.

For example, there is elected governance like in a democracy.
And there is private sector governance where lobbyist set laws.

They are both forms of governance.

[aquart]

2. You think the Taliban are fighting lobbyists?

Not a terrible idea. I wonder if they could be persuaded?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. let's send some lobbyists over to see if they'll fight