NATO Says Airstrike in Afghan Province Killed Women (Two) and Children (Eight)

[tekisui]

Source: New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — NATO forces said Thursday that they had unwittingly killed several women and children a day earlier during an early morning air attack against militants in a remote corner of eastern Afghanistan. The American-led coalition also said it was investigating separate reports of civilian deaths in a nearby province.

The fatal airstrike on Wednesday in Khost Province, which Afghan officials say killed eight children and two women, ignited outrage in neighboring villages, and it could deepen tensions between the Afghan government and Western authorities here.

In late May, President Hamid Karzai gave a stern speech offering what he called his “last” warning about civilian casualties, long a source of acrimony between Afghan officials and NATO forces. Mr. Karzai told NATO to stop bombing Afghan homes, or else it would face “unilateral action” from the Afghan government, and that it risked being viewed as a trespasser and occupying force.

(snip)

But in Khost, villagers angry over the deaths flooded into the streets. Hundreds of them blocked the main road to the capital and urged the Afghan government to investigate and punish those responsible. One of the villagers, Haji Mir Baz Khan, of the Dowamanda district, said that if the government could not prevent such attacks in the future, “this nation and tribe will announce jihad against them.”

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/08/world/asia/08afghanistan.html

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Obama has signed us up for more than 3 more years of this.

[msongs]

1. Our president, congress, and generals are cool with that. long as it's not THEIR kids that is nt