Pakistanis compare bodies with al-Qaeda photos

[struggle4progress]

Pakistani authorities are trying to figure out exactly who their armed forces killed last week during an operation against suspected al-Qaeda strongholds near the Afghan border.

The military used artillery, helicopter gunships and jet fighters as they attacked what they said were suspected militant hideouts in the South Waziristan area, about 340 kilometres west of Islamabad.

The five-day operation ended on Sunday, leaving at least 72 people dead, including 17 members of the security forces.

The army didn't know on Tuesday whether any of those killed were al-Qaeda members, spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Shaukat Sultan told the Associated Press.
<snip>
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/06/15/world/pkstn_qaeda040615

[Journeyman]

1. "Artillery, helicopter gunships and jet fighters. . ."

just what could be left to identify?

[jukes]

2. AND

if they didn't know who they were, why did they kill them? my understanding of the area is that most of those countries contain nomadic peoples.





:wtf:

[Journeyman]

6. It's the madness of the "Tall Arab". . .

the military killed with a missile in Afghanistan back during the day when the US government was marginally interested in events in that sad country, the "Tall Arab" they were sure was Usama bin Laden, only to find he was some poor schlub collecting scrap metal who had the genetic misfortune to be tall. So based on satellite/spy plane imagery that showed a "tall Arab" in the vicinity, the military killed a slew of guys whose crime was recycling.

It's in line with that car full of guys in Yemen in 2002 who were killed by a missile fired from 100 miles away, a carload of "terrorists" who may or may not have plotted the Cole Attack, a fact we'll never be able to verify since all six are but stains on the road.

And still there are those who wonder where the idea of treating prisoners as less than human could have originated. . . had to have been a "few bad apples" since our military leaders and their civilian overlords would never act without rigid adherence to the law.

[teryang]

3. Duh, who'd we kill?

Kill em all sort em out later. Total abandonment of the principle of identification of friend or foe. New principle, kill for political headlines.

[struggle4progress]

4. Wonder if the Bushistas bought Pakistani cooperation by agreeing ...

to look the other way when the government slaughters political opponents?

[saigon68]

7. That's one way to stay in power

Kill everyone who disagrees with you.

[Just Me]

5. The "forgotten",....n/t