Karzai To NATO: "Afghan Life Not Cheap"

(AP)  President Hamid Karzai accused NATO and U.S.-led troops Saturday of carelessly killing scores of Afghan civilians and warned that the fight against resurgent Taliban militants could fail unless foreign forces show more restraint.

"Afghan life is not cheap and it should not be treated as such," Karzai said in an angry rebuke that drew a contrite acknowledgment from NATO that it must "do better."

In the past 10 days, more than 90 civilians have been killed by air strikes and artillery fire targeting Taliban insurgents, Karzai said. The mounting toll is sapping the authority of the Western-backed Afghan president, who has pleaded repeatedly with U.S. and NATO commanders to consult Afghan authorities during operations and show more restraint.

"Several times in the last year, the Afghan government tried to prevent civilian casualties, but our innocent people are becoming victims of careless operations of NATO and international forces," Karzai said at a news conference in his Kabul palace.

The casualties listed by Karzai bring the number of civilians killed in NATO or U.S.-led military operations this year to 211, according to an Associated Press tally of figures provided by Afghan and foreign officials and witnesses.

That tops the 172 civilians killed in militant attacks.

"If NATO forces want to be successful in their fight against terrorism and in bringing security to Afghanistan, they should coordinate with the Afghan government, no matter if the operation is small or big," Karzai said in a mixture of English and his native Pashto.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force responded contritely.

"President Karzai has a right to be disappointed and angry over the scale of civilian casualties in the last few days," ISAF spokesman Nick Lunt said. "We need to do better than we have been doing so far."

Foreign commanders insist they take great care to avoid civilian deaths while trying to beat back the Taliban so that Karzai's frail government can deliver services to the impoverished south and east.

Both U.S. and NATO forces, however, rely heavily on devastating air power. That helps minimize foreign troop casualties while inflicting heavy losses on militants — but also regularly harms innocents.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »

[j-whitman]

singinrick,,, You still on your Christofascist trip ??? Listen to your own republicans tell Bush to change his course in Iraq --- He's lost.

[doublestand]

So Afghan lives are not cheap. How about the millions that have died from opium/heroin. Does the Afghan consious feel guilty when the are growing poppy, when they are harvesting opium, when they are smuggling drugs that they know will kill foreigners? When they are giving the drug money to the radicals? I wonder if Afghans have any idea of the suffering a family goes through when a family member dies of their drugs? When will Afghans start becoming part of the solution instead of the problem.

[prinzowhales]

singinrick--Why don't you share some of the references from the Quran that teach hatred of Jews and Christians?

[hungry1968]

Posted by singinrick at 03:53 AM : Jun 24, 2007

Did you also happen to notice that you're suffering from "Bush syndrome"? Whenever anything bad happened in our country for 4 years, it was related to terrorism.
High unemployment numbers? - Terrorism.
Weakening economy? - Terrorism.

Now in Iraq, anyone our troops fight is Al Qaeda.
"Casualties Mount In Push Against Al Qaeda"
"U.S. and Iraqi troops captured two senior al Qaeda militants in northern Iraq."

And now you. Anyone that posts anything on these boards that criticizes Bush or the war is a "internet jihadist" or a "far-leftist liberal".

By the way, if I have the choice between being a far-left liberal that cares about people and social justice, or being a war loving neo-con that likes to see American troops die without a reason, I'll be a far left liberal every time. And if you truly were a Christian, you would too. Hypocrite.

[hungry1968]

The Quran teaches hatred of Jews and Christians, and far-left liberals share these same beliefs, albeit blindly! Or is it really blindly?
Posted by singinrick at 03:53 AM : Jun 24, 2007

I consider myself a far-left liberal, and I don't hate Jews and Christians. I hate religion period. You think that your religion is the "right" one because you hold the moral high ground? That's fine - if you believe in those morals, then live by them. While living by them, keep them to yourself. Quit trying to force your religious beliefs on everyone else, the way that Bush does. In other words, when you think that you're morally superior and feel the need to comment on someone else when it doesn't concern you, maybe you should mind your own business.

[johnshaft4]

The Afghans will have "freedom and democracy" even if it kills them.

[brianbwb-2009]

Karzai has to at least appear to his people that he isn't a complete Bushit puppet, so he states the obvious, though nothing real will come of it, no one will be held responsible for the murders.

If he were really anything other than a tool, he would call for the US and NATO to get out of there, and call for a power sharing arrangement with the Taliban. If the Taliban don't accept, that is Afghanistan's problem to sort, not the US, or NATO, and Karzai's mistake thinking Bushit could prop him up forever.

But then again, Bush wouldn't get to play with his new oil pipeline...

[cdfoxtrot]

Karzai: U.S., NATO Caused Civilian Deaths

I think I'll file this under "No Sh*t, Sherlock".

[j-whitman]

Free,,,, They had to be terrorists, This administration has called everyone terrorists, especially if they opposed his decisions.

Everyone's a terrorist, they will nuc you & eat your children, scared enough to elect another republican yet ???

[feelfree1]

RE: "On Saturday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused NATO and U.S.-led forces of mounting 'careless operations' that killed more than 90 civilians in the last 10 days."

"Pakistan's army said a rocket fired during the battle hit a house on its side of the border, killing nine civilians."


Killing civilians in Afghanistan. Killing civilians in Pakistan. Now we see the true nature of the 'successes' against 'al Qaeda' that CBS and other Corporate media sources have been touting recently.

What a shameful and futile goose-chase.