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.

[formrusmcsgt]

For example, during World War II, the Luftwaff carpet-bombed London killing innocent civilians at the rate of 364/day.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 07:34 AM : Aug 26, 2008

As the US did in German cities.....

[petro49l]

Coalition Forces kill innocent Afghanis because they mistake them for Al Qada. Bin Laden tricks Taliban into places where they are open to attack. Osama prefers that the Coalition eliminate common people. He needs the land to cultivate potent poppies. Why allow him to roost in Waziristan? His isomizers brim with exotic poppies. The brew is transformed into tar heroin. Bin Laden has so much money from narcotics sales that he could make a war with any country. It makes better sense to arrest Bin Laden. If not, thousands of Afghanis will be murdered.

[army_mom1]

Ah yes, shock and awe...those were the days...beautiful...we need more of that in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Innocent civilians" are the ones killing our soldiers. Who cares if they''re taken out. If the Taliban is hanging around them....well...you know what they say "birds of a feather, flock together"....too *ucking bad....take ''em all out. IMO, there''s no such thing as "innocent civilians". Look at the 15 year old strapped with a suicide vest over the weekend in Iraq. These people lie and kill their own, then claim "Americans did it"...whatever. I hear first-hand accounts of the *hit that happens over there....pull our boys out and bomb the *uck out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Everyone hates us over there anyway.

[coco0331]

Here''s our next surprise, we shouldn''t be in Afghanistan either. 1200 Taliban left and we''re blowing up dirt piles with million dollar bombs. After we declare victory then what? Pakistan filters back into Afghanistan and its back to normal as if we weren''t even there. The Afghanis are going to tell use to leave. War without financial destruction is a senseless war. This is a senseless war. Pilfer politics at its best.

[trrrorislam3]

Obama''s DNC Message: I''m Like You
CBSNews.com Reports: Democrats To Push Obama%u2019s Similarities With Average Americans

rightttttttttttttt

HUSSEIN puts foreigns ahead of americans,,,

how many non-muslim americans have a syrian born muslim tony rezko helping you buy a multi million dollar house???

how many non-muslim americans travelled to pakistan for spring break???

how many non-muslim americans say the muslim call to prayer is the prettiests sounds on earth at sunset???

how many americans want to have to learn spanish???

how many americans want to give tens of millions of illegals amnesty???

how many americans want open borders???

how many americans want to send one trillion of their taxpayer dollars to kenya???

how many americans want to spend their taxpayer dollars on slavery reparations when they already paid via the civil war with their blood???

hmmmmm manchurian candidate maybe,,, hmmmm

[sly_64]

trrrorislam3:
The real bottom line is that nothing gets done in this country unless the special interests want it to. I wouldn''t worry about half the things you are talking about. The Jewish lobbyists won''t let it happen.

[trrrorislam3]

HUSSEIN EXECUTIVE ORDER NUBER ONE,,,

ALL AMERICANS HAVE TO LEARN SPANISH,,,

ummmm it is the DEMONIC-RATS that want to grant amnesty to illegals,,, including HUSSEIN,,,

HUSSEINs solution for illegals is to grant them amnesty and have americans learn SPANISH,,,

words out of his own mouth,,,

Barack Obama: Your Children Should Learn To Speak Spanish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZprtPat1Vk

Obama to America--Learn Spanish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W7srmHLclw

[sly_64]

He''s merely pandering to a minority who''s votes he needs. Just like every other politician in history.

[trrrorislam3]

VOTE GOP,,, BLOCK AMNESTY,,,

[sly_64]

trrrorislam3:

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

NOT

[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.

[trrrorislam3]

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

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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-]

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?

[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

[trrrorislam3]

HEY AFGHANIS,,,

PROBE TALIBAN TARGETING AND KILLING CIVILIANS,,,