Special Forces Commander Apologizes for Civilian Deaths, Follows Afghan Custom

[laststeamtrain]

Source: ABC NEWS

Special Forces Commander Apologizes for Civilian Deaths, Follows Afghan Custom
By NICK SCHIFRIN and ALEEM AGHA

KABUL, Afghanistan, —

In the dusty Afghan village where U.S. troops killed two pregnant women and three other innocent civilians in February, a remarkable scene played out today between an aggrieved father and the most senior special operations officer in the United States military.

Vice Admiral William McRaven -- the commander of Joint Special Operations Command -- showed up with two sheep, and in the cultural understanding of the region, surrendered himself.

He didn't literally surrender. But he didn't have to. In the code followed by the southeastern Afghan family so devastated by the February incident, offering two sheep is the equivalent of begging for forgiveness.

<snip>

"We were very happy he came to our house," said Mohammad Tahir, the brother of the two men and father of the 18-year-old woman who was killed, referring to McRaven. "We told him, 'Thank you very much. We will not keep anything in our heart against you.'"

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=10320603

[berni_mccoy]

1. K&R

[Walk away]

2. Imagine two pregnant American women shot down by foreign agents.

We have so much to answer for.

[Walk away]

3. Sorry...duplicate

[lunatica]

4. This story just gave me goose bumps

Such a simple gesture, based on knowing how to approach the other in an effort to communicate sincerely can make such a huge difference. Without this gesture the blood would continue to flow. I actually feel humbled even though I know others would feel humiliated by the very same thing and would want to punish the Afghans for it.

[laststeamtrain]

5. People. Just people. Amazing. n/t.

[Walk away]

6. Cnn is doing a report on it now..

These poor people. And the Americans coming back and digging the bullets out of the bodies and the outrageous lies.

[Robb]

7. To anyone who suggests this country has no hope:

Read this story and tell me you wouldn't spit in McRaven's face. I would.

This is why the Afghanistan people will make it through all this.

[Cleobulus]

11. Oh I'm sure the Afghanistan people will endure, just like they endure all aggressors...

who invade their country and kill their families. Frankly I'm amazed at how much more forgiving the family members are, much more so than I would be. If I were in a similar situation, I would have demanded blood for blood, but then again, I'm not as good a person as they are.

[Mari333]

8. the lies lies lies

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8113096

[Uncle Joe]

9. Kicked and recommended for wisdom, empathy and humility.

Thanks for the thread, laststeamtrain.:thumbsup:

[Arctic Dave]

10. Could you imagine the king of saudi arabia apologizing directly

to every family member who had a person killed on 911.

Would it have mattered.

[MidwestTransplant]

12. This is BS. Look at what Obama has turned the SF into. Whining whimps. We own Afghanistan.

/End Freeper Rant

[Hosnon]

13. Very encouraging. Thank you Mr. McRaven! nt.

[sabrina 1]

14. If only Americans could learn a lesson from that wise father.

He has released himself from the crippling emotional prison of seeking revenge and hatred. Ironic that even while he forgave the wrongful killing of his daughter, all around him is evidence of how incapable many Americans are of rising above those same primitive emotions. No 'pragmatic' discussions of why it would okay for him to 'take out' his daughter's killers. All he asked was an acknowledgement that he and his daughter was wronged. It would be nice to think that his daughter would be the last victim of our brutality.

He's light years ahead of those who even right here on this board, argue that we 'have the right to assassinate' people we think are our enemies, and so what if there is 'collateral damage' also. Even our once-thought, more enlightened president is shamed by this man.

[laststeamtrain]

15. We call traditional societies 'undeveloped'. What would we have them 'develop' into? n/t.

[boppers]

16. Culture is important.

Good to see our troops realizing that.

FTA:
"But we have one thing in common, one very important thing," McRaven said. "We have the same god. He is a god who shows great love and compassion. I pray for you today, sir, that in your grief he will show you love and compassion and ease your pain. ... I also pray today that he will show mercy on me and my men for this awful tragedy."