Afghans To Probe U.S., NATO Airstrikes

President Orders Review Of Foreign Forces Conduct Amid Wide Reports Of Civilian Deaths

(AP)  Amid allegations that large numbers of civilians have died in recent raids and airstrikes by foreign forces, President Hamid Karzai's government has demanded a review of the presence of U.S. and NATO troops in the country.

The government Monday ordered its foreign affairs and defense ministries to review the presence of foreign troops, regulate their presence with a status of forces agreement and negotiate a possible end to "airstrikes on civilian targets, uncoordinated house searches and illegal detention of Afghan civilians."

The harshly worded statement appears to be aimed at both international forces operating in Afghanistan: the U.S.-led coalition, which conducts special forces counterterrorism operations and trains the fledgling Afghan army and police, and the U.N.-mandated NATO-led force tasked to provide security for the war-ravaged nation.

Capt. Mike Windsor, a spokesman for the NATO-led force, said they have seen media reports but have not received "any official notification so far."

"NATO's ... mission is based on a UN mandate and carried upon the invitation of the Afghan government," Windsor said. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.-led coalition.

The government's decision follows a weekend clash and air strikes in western Afghanistan, in which Afghan officials say some 90 civilians, including women and children, were killed.

U.S.-led coalition troops, which were supporting Afghan commandos in the raid, said they believe 25 militants, including a Taliban commander, and five civilians were killed during the Friday raid in the village of Azizabad in Herat province. The U.S. coalition originally said the battle left 30 militants dead.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Monday that foreign forces in Afghanistan "take every precaution to try to avoid innocent civilian casualties." Asked about Karzai's concerns about civilian casualties, Fratto said an investigation is under way. He said the U.S. Defense Department believes "it was a good strike."

But Afghan officials appear to have been angered by the Azizabad violence.

"The government of Afghanistan has repeatedly discussed the issue of civilian casualties with the international forces and asked for all air raids on civilian targets, especially in Afghan villages, to be stopped," the government statement said.

"The issues of uncoordinated house searches and harassing civilians have also been of concern to the government of Afghanistan which has been shared with the commanders of international forces in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, to date, our demands have not been addressed, rather, more civilians, including women and children are losing their lives as a result of air raids," it said.

NATO and U.S. officials insist they take great care in their targeting, and accuse the militants of hiding in civilians areas, thus putting innocent people at risk.

[trrrorislam3]

HEY AFGHANIS,,,

PROBE TALIBAN TARGETING AND KILLING CIVILIANS,,,

[trrrorislam3]

ummmm nancys,,, is this a civilian too,,,

BOY 12 BEHEADS PRISONER IN ALQAEDA VIDEO,,,

Boy, 12, Beheads Man In Al Qaeda Video
Video Shows Gruesome Training Exercise For Young Militants
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/20/cbsnews_investigates/main4110408.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4110408

Taliban Video Shows Young Boy Beheading Prisoner
http://www.newser.com/story/1659/taliban-video-shows-young-boy-beheading-prisoner.html

Pictured: The dramatic moment a 15-year-old Iraqi suicide bomber gave herself up
In the footage, she denies trying to stage a suicide attack, and appears dazed, even drugged. She gave her first name as Rania and said she was born in 1993.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1049021/Pictured-The-dramatic-moment-15-year-old-Iraqi-suicide-bomber-gave-up.html

[thinkharder-]

This blood is on his hands.

Posted by midvale3 at 11:46 AM : Aug 26, 2008

True enough, but it begs the age old question...Who''s the bigger fool? The fool...or the fool that follows?

[midvale3]

BUT, when it comes to "investigating"
thay make damm sure all of the dead women
and children are buried and out of sight
before they arrive to "investigate".

"Morals"?,,,Not hardly, our "military" IS
the lowlife of the planet.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by ajaxtheleast at 11:38 AM : Aug 26, 2008

I''ve read some pretty stupid post on here, and this one ranks in the top 5. The military are doing the job the US government is telling them to do, with the tools they have. Civilian casualties have and will always be a part of war. That''s why it should always be a last resort. You want to blame someone, blame W and his total lack of any follow-up in Iraq or Afhganistan. This blood is on his hands.

[thinkharder-]

Posted by trrrorislam3 at 11:30 AM : Aug 26, 2008

Correct...but must it be an exclusively English speaking country? Do you not realize that your perception of the real is limited to the language you use to define it? Heaven forbid we broaden our horizons a bit!! Why must we live behind your one way mirror? The Soviets watched the iron curtain come down due in part to us...but we''ve simply replaced that with a one way mirror of our own. We let the rest of the world look in on us, but never really let our own citizens look out. Instead all we see overseas is actually a reflection of ourselves...our paranoia...our rampant consumerism...terrorism. Because of brash, xenophobic fools like you our country is under educated, over stimulated...over medicated, frozen with fear and confused. Did you know that the ration of foreign students visiting the US for study to those US students studying abroad is 10 to 1!! (Nat. Geo, 9-08) 10 to 1!!!!! And we''re the richest country in the world.

[ajaxtheleast]

We are the bottom.

The scrungiest.

Our military is the lowlife of the planet.

No morals.

Our soldiers are the victims of the very
brain-washing we accuse terrorists of.

Our military can within MINUTES get to
the target to bomb or attack it

BUT, when it comes to "investigating"
thay make damm sure all of the dead women
and children are buried and out of sight
before they arrive to "investigate".

"Morals"?,,,Not hardly, our "military" IS
the lowlife of the planet.

[sly_64]

We should have a common language here, and the majority already speaks English. It makes sense that if you are migrating here, you have to learn English. I''m not saying you can''t speak Spanish or any other language, but if one is mandated, it should be English. I for one speak 3 diff. languages. BUT, no one forced me to learn them. I don''t think Obama is going to force anyone to learn Spanish, just like we don''t force anyone to learn English.

[trrrorislam3]

Posted by ThinkHarder- at 11:23 AM : Aug 26, 2008

ummmmm this is an english speaking country,,, and it should remain so,,,

[thinkharder-]

Posted by trrrorislam3 at 10:34 AM : Aug 26, 2008

What the hell''s so bad about learning spanish? I wish I was particularly adept at learning languages...I''d cram my head full of them. Why should we not learn the native tongue of our closest foreign language speaking country, you close minded fool?!?! You need to grow up man and get your head out of your a$$. You spew some of the most blantantly dishonest garbage meant to do nothing bu t discredit BO based on one sole issue...his difference. It''s as if you''re perfectly content with allowing this country to be run by a figure chosen by the pettiest of us...the worst of us. You keep trying to rally the worst in us all...you''ll get a few wackos behind you, true enough...but in the end, this is America...my country...and it''s worlds better than your vision of it.

[sly_64]

trrrorislam3:

Oh ok, because you told me to, I will.

NOT