3 Children Killed in Taliban-U.S. Cross-Fire

[alp227]

Source: New York Times

Three children were killed and three wounded in cross-fire on Monday when Taliban insurgents attacked a team of American soldiers in southern Afghanistan, Afghan officials said.

The American soldiers were meeting with residents in the Shajoe District of Zabul Province. Muhammad Jan Rasoolyaar, the deputy governor of Zabul, said that the Afghan Local Police and the Americans were present at a shura, or meeting of tribal leaders, in hopes of persuading the community to form its own police unit. Many children had gathered around the soldiers when the insurgents attacked, he said.

“It is too early to say who is to blame,” Mr. Rasoolyaar said, adding that another shura had been convened to examine what had happened.

But a spokesman for the American military, James Graybeal, accused the Taliban of deliberately targeting the children. “What it sounds like is that during the firefight, the insurgents turned their weapons on the civilians,” he said. He added that there were no American casualties.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/world/asia/children-killed-in-taliban-united-states-crossfire.html

[gratuitous]

1. Three children dead, no American military casualties

Gee, I'm so cynical, because when there's a "cross-fire," I expect to hear that both sides took at least one or two hits. Instead, three children are dead, no American casualties, and we're supposed to believe that the attackers shot and hit kids, but didn't hit any adults?

But there seem to be a lot of reports of free-fire zones where supposedly everyone's shooting at everyone else, but our guys never get hit. Prolly divine providence or something, because we're so exceptional.

[whatchamacallit]

2. Fuck us...

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. the occupation forces really shouldn't be hiding behind civilians

using children as human shields is a really disgraceful move.

[ManiacJoe]

4. Are you suggesting that is what happened?