US Special Forces covered up massacre of Afghans

[Hannah Bell]

A NATO military statement issued Sunday admitted that US Special Forces commandos carried out the execution-style killings of three women and two men in a February 12 night raid in southeastern Afghanistan. Among the dead women were two pregnant mothers, with 16 children between them. The third was a teenage girl. For weeks the US-led NATO officials had denied killing the women.

After the killings US Special Forces dug their bullets out of the dead women’s bodies and treated the holes with alcohol to erase forensic evidence, an Afghanistan government investigation has reportedly determined. A United Nations official confirmed that the Afghan investigation found evidence US soldiers had tampered with the crime scene. These reports are substantiated by family members and local authorities, who say US soldiers blocked access for seven hours to the home in Gardez, the regional capital of eastern Paktia province, while they attempted to cover up the crime.

The US-led coalition, while admitting for the first time that its forces killed the women, now contends that it did not attempt a cover-up. “All regrettable,” said Rear Adm. Greg Smith, the top military spokesman in Kabul, of the deaths. “That said, there is absolutely no evidence that the forces covered anything up.” This is a bald lie. In fact, all the available evidence shows there was a cover-up, and a crude one at that.

Soon after the raid, NATO acknowledged that US Special Forces had gunned down two brothers, described as the local police chief and the district prosecutor, in their home. NATO conceded the men were civilians, but claimed, without providing evidence, that they were carrying Kalashnikov rifles.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/apr2010/afgh-a06.shtml

[leftstreet]

1. K&InvisibleR

[Rex]

2. WHEN our troops finally come home, how many atrocities will we learn about then?

I compare this to the Vatican describing talk about priests raping boys as 'petty gossip'. Sad. Pathetic. Wrong.

[flyarm]

3. What kind of animals would murder women then dig the bullets out of their dead bodies?

They are just criminal animals!
And they are getting paychecks with our tax money!

This makes me sick beyond words!

I wish to say I am sorry for my cruel nation to the families of these women, and I wish for them to know..I do not condone this being done In my name, OR with my money.

I want this nation of mine to get out of your country and let your nation heal from our cruelness and killings and even murder.

I want those who did this to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and to pay for their crimes, against your family members who were killed needlessly...and horribly..and weren't even allowed to rest in peace.

I feel shame of what my nation has done to your families and to your nation.

These heinous crimes condemn all of us, if these animals are not held accountable.