U.S. Ups Afghan Civilian Death Toll

August Strikes Killed 33 Civilians, Far More Than First Acknowledged, Official Says

(AP)  The U.S. military said Wednesday that U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan on Aug. 22 killed 33 civilians, far more than previously acknowledged. It expressed regret but blamed Taliban guerrillas who were targeted in the attack for having chosen to take up fighting positions near civilians.

A civilian toll of 33 compares with an original U.S. estimate of five to seven. The Afghan government and U.N. investigators contended 90 civilians died. In a summary of its findings from a detailed investigation, Central Command said 22 militants were killed in an assault that was launched on a village compound with the intent of killing or capturing an unnamed "high value individual."

Working with the crew of an AC-130H gunship, the on-scene U.S. commander established positive identification of legitimate targets before ordering attacks with small arms and air power, according to the summary signed by the chief investigating officer, Brig. Gen. Michael Callan.

"Unfortunately and unknown to the U.S. and Afghan forces, the (militants) chose fighting positions in close proximity to civilians," the report said.

Of the 33 dead civilians, the U.S. investigators counted eight men, three women and 12 children. The 10 others were undetermined.

The acting commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, asserted that despite the civilian deaths, U.S. forces involved in the attack in western Herat province acted on the basis of credible intelligence, in self-defense and in line with their rules of engagement.

"We are deeply saddened at the loss of innocent life in Azizabad," Dempsey said. He blamed the Taliban.

"We go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties in Afghanistan in all our operations, but as we have seen all too often, this ruthless enemy routinely surround themselves with innocents," he said.

Central Command rejected the claims of the Afghan government and U.N. officials that 90 civilians were killed. It said they relied primarily on villager statements, limited forensics and no access to U.S. intelligence.

"Their reports lack independent evidence to support the allegations of higher numbers of civilian casualties," the U.S. report said.

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was in Afghanistan last month to get briefed on U.S. military procedures for avoiding civilian casualties in airstrikes, is determined to make sure that U.S. forces operate "with more care."

At the same time, Morrell repeated in an e-mailed statement while traveling Wednesday with Gates in Europe, the Central Command's contention that the Taliban deliberately put "innocent bystanders in harm's way."

The issue of civilian deaths has outraged Afghans and strained relations with foreign forces in Afghanistan to help fight the insurgency. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned U.S. and NATO for years that they must stop killing civilians on bombing runs against militants, saying the deaths undermine his government and the international mission.

Rear Adm. Greg Smith, director of communication at Central Command, said the matter is considered closed and no disciplinary action is contemplated against anyone involved, in light of the investigation's conclusion that due diligence was exercised and the laws of war were not violated.

The investigation was based on 28 interviews resulting in more than 20 hours of recorded testimony from Afghan government officials, Afghan village elders, officials from nongovernmental organizations, U.S. and Afghan service members, 236 documents and 11 videos, according to Central Command.

On Sept. 2, less than two weeks after the raid in the village of Azizabad, NATO's commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, issued a revised order meant to govern the tactics and procedures followed by U.S. forces when engaging in air and ground fights against insurgents.

Several days after that, McKiernan ordered a second U.S. investigation into the deaths because pictures and video images surfaced that appeared to show 30 to 40 victims, including at least 10 dead children, laid out in a village mosque.

Zemeri Bashary, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday that he had not yet seen the new U.S. report, but the Afghan government stood by its original findings.

A joint delegation of Afghan lawmakers and local officials investigated within days of the strike and concluded that around 90 Afghan civilians, including 60 children, were killed. That finding was backed by a preliminary U.N. report.

McKiernan has said there are too few U.S. ground forces in Afghanistan, so the military is relying more heavily on air power, a greater risk in a conflict where insurgents do not wear uniforms and intentionally mix with the general population for protection.

In a trip to Afghanistan in mid-September, Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered the people of Afghanistan his "personal regrets" over the civilian deaths and said he would try to improve the accuracy of air operations.

[indianaman13]

How far from God are you who are willing to kill innocent children? Did you forget the commandment "Thou shalt not kill"? what about when Jesus said, "how you love your brother is how you love your God"? or Ghandi when he said "an eye for an eye makes the world blind"?
Why didn''t we finish the job in Afgan before being tricked into Iraq looking for WMD''s while stealing oil? Why are we rebuilding our enemies country(iraq) when we need to rebuild america? We weren''t rebuilding North Vietnam at the same time we were bombing it were we? We didn''t rebuild Germany until after the war right? How much money is Cheney''s Haliburton making supplying oil to the troops, who are guarding the oil they are using? Does that make sense to you because it doesn''t to me unless crooked corrupt corporations and people are making money off our soldiers sacrifices and to THAT I SAY STOP NOW!

[hbevis]

There is no such thing as a "innocent civilian" in a war zone. It''''''''''''''''s either your friend or your enemy. Since those killed were with the enemy, they were enemy. Yes, that includes the "innocent" children. Maybe if we had done a Dresden type attack on 9-12 we would not be having these discussions today!!!!!!!!!!!


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Posted by bob5ford at 06:21 PM

I think that he is right, there is no such thing as a "innocent civilian" in a War Zone.

[formrusmcsgt]

Posted by bob5ford at 06:21 PM : Oct 08, 2008

You obviously need professional help.

[rudy654-2009]

There is no such thing as a "innocent civilian" in a war zone. It''''''''s either your friend or your enemy. Since those killed were with the enemy, they were enemy. Yes, that includes the "innocent" children. Maybe if we had done a Dresden type attack on 9-12 we would not be having these discussions today!!!!!!!!!!!


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Posted by bob5ford at 06:21 PM

If somebody had done a Dresden on you when you were born we wouldn''t have to put up with your pathetic posts.

[jsjcvg]

And Palin accused Obama about lying about what? Killing innocent civilians (so reminiscent of My Lai and Lt. Calley) DOES NOT bring us closer to getting Osama Bin Laden or to "winning" either of our 2 (soon to be 3rd if McPain is elected)wars.

[hbevis]

War is H.E.L.L. and there is no way around it. In any war there has always been Civilian''s killed, and always will be. You don''t know who is who a lot of times.

Something that no one has mentioned is that we always have Friendly Fire Causalities. Meaning that we always wind up killing some of our Own people.

[inketolstoy]

Good point but your math is way off niceface09, especially on Dresden. Not that it should matter. One innocent life killed is one too many. Not sure how you determined the US is the "most murderous nation on the planet" though. Tough to beat China, Soviet Union, or Germany in that department.

[petro49l]

The Coalition murdered the Afghan Peasants. Osama Bin Laden said it was the right thing. Arab Peasants interfere with his narcotics production. Al Qada needs the farms to grow the exotic poppies for his technical isomizers. Junkies all over the world will pay anything for tar heroin.

[rebelrepubli]

Bombing villages and killing innocent civilians AND THEN LYING ABOUT IT. Shame, shame John Palin McCain.

[brianbwb-2009]

"As you learn more information, sometimes the truth can change," Whitman said.

As is always the case, truth doesn''t change, it is the lies that change. Whit man''s statement is right out of 1984.

[chris32324]

how crazy is it for the u.s.,the most murderous nation on the planet,to be trying to tell other nations about democracy,pretending to show them the way,,too funny,,,when the reality is you only want thier natural resourses.

[gce65]

I believe the UN.

I do not believe the US military. They even lied about Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch--their own people!

They kill for a living, why would lying be difficult for them?

[antoniof123]

"As you learn more information, sometimes the truth can change," Whitman said.

Sounds just like the fricken Nixon comments we lived through once before.

What is it with the Republicans!