Who benefits from shooting handcuffed children?

[Robb]

Read davidswanson's post, then consider this question. Who benefits?

Perhaps you're old enough to remember Nixon going to China. Today it could be said only Assadullah Wafa could be sent to investigate civilians being killed.



No, it's not a Viking hat, those are two clocks in the background. Anyhow.

Wafa has been governor of three provinces under Karzai.

Wafa is the guy who as governor of Paktia (~2004) spent the most time in the spotlight working for an amnesty program for Taliban soldiers who want to stop fighting. He kept it up and reportedly got pissed whenever someone did it without his help. Actually, he gets pissed whenever people go around him.

Wafa is the guy who as governor of Kunar characterized a U.S.-launched strike after a helicopter shootdown (2005) as a "revenge killing" in that he reported it killed more than a dozen women and children.

Wafa is the guy who as governor of Helmand province (where 45% of the world's opium is grown) reported the single largest number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan since 2001 (2007).

Tragedy follows the guy, right? Anyhow.

The point? Am I saying it didn't happen because Wafa is solidly in Karzai's pocket? Hell no. In fact I expect it happened just as reported. But it doesn't matter, and it doesn't matter what I think.

Read that again. Whether it happened or not isn't going to matter. Who actually did it - Marines, Xe, Taliban in uniforms, whoever - doesn't matter. How it plays in the U.S. isn't going to matter.

Karzai appointed Wafa to this investigation for a reason. Karzai is sending a message to Obama, through the Afghan people who see Wafa on TV and think only of civilian casualties in earlier events: "Go around me at your own peril, because I can undermine you with a wave of the hand."

The only person who will benefit from this story with Wafa's face on it is Karzai. Karzai increases his relevancy with the Afghan people -- since he's no longer the lifeline to U.S. aid he used to be -- every time he wags his finger at Americans. Nothing over there happens in a vacuum. He has been ratcheting up his anti-U.S. rhetoric ever since Obama's election. This is not an accident, and it won't be the last time.

[Don Caballero]

1. The Taliban benefits clearly

Which is why the initial reports that American troops did this heinous act were unfounded.

[FreakinDJ]

4. Not to mention conflicting

"The student had their hands tied behind their backs"

"Some of the students still had school books in their lap"

These 2 things certainly conflict with any sort of logic. However it very evident the second quotes was designed for maximum effect of spreading dissent towards our troops and the US efforts in Afghanistan.

Anyone who can't see that is mentally deficient or Lying

[Robb]

6. Not as much as Karzai.

Karzai trotted out Wafa to make certain the locals believed it was U.S. troops that did the killing.

He doesn't want the Taliban back in power, because that would mean he wasn't.

[Don Caballero]

7. Very interesting

Never thought of that. Karzai should never have been allowed into political office there. The Bush regime clearly needed a corrupt person in that seat of power.

[Robb]

8. Obama knows it was a mistake.

He's increasingly gone around Karzai, and the predictable result is Karzai's increased criticism of the U.S. It's the best play he's got.

[mmonk]

14. He was seen as central to the TAPI pipeline at the time.

He was a former Unocal employee and front man.

[Junkdrawer]

2. A famous commentator predicted that there would be an increase...

in incidents like this so that the inevitable Afghan reaction would justify our continued presence.

I'm looking for the link...

[Robb]

9. That's a dog that doesn't need to be wagged, IMO

The word is we're leaving, and everyone's scrambling to make sure they get the keys. Karzai's on the block, he knows it, he's wrangling as he can.

[jpak]

3. K&R

:thumbsup:

[stray cat]

5. or killing passengers including kids on planes by crashing them into buildings

Maybe its time to damn both actions

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

11. In what universe the actions you speak of aren't damned enough? -nt

[mmonk]

13. A reminder that the hijackers came from a Hamburg cell

made up predominately of Saudi Arabians with some other nationalities thrown in.

[Robb]

10. Kicking one last time. nt

[mmonk]

12. The country has its traditional divisions

made up of tribes and warlords. Helmand is also an area held by the British and is part of the pipeline route.