More civilian deaths in Afghanistan

[Gromit]

Today, 27 civilians have been killed by NATO when it bombed a convoy of minibuses. This follows the seven Afghan Police who were killed by a NATO airstrike last week, and 15 civilians the week before.

We are massacring our own side on a weekly basis while the military commanders say the operation is going well.

Meanwhile, the Dutch have had enough and are leaving Afghanistan. Will there be a domino effect of other nations pulling out in light of all these own goals?

[123everton]

Counter insurgency is a difficult scrap, I find it difficult to quantify the deemed acceptability of the Taliban killing civilians in the cross fire or just because the happen to be in the way and the outrage when our side causes it.
I don't know the answer, a convoy of vehicles would look suspicious in a rural country, to win here will take time and effort, we need to put soldiers on the ground to hold it, and all the risks that that entails.

[rov1200]

It certainly won't do much for the hearts and minds strategy. Many people don't think the strategy will work anyway. I saw the troops giving out blankets last week.

With the Dutch leaving it will probably be down to other NATO countries to make up this shortfall. Its not gone unnoticed that our troop deployment started at about 4000 and now by gradual increments is above 10,000. If Brown showed as much compassion as he did about his dying son our troops would be out tomorrow.

[anotheoldgit]

Since Civilians look no different to combatants, is it any wonder some get killed, especially when the Taliban are sheltering behind civilians.

I do not know why the media are allowed free release of situations such as this, it can only make our troops already difficult job out there, even more difficult than it already is.

Before any of you shout out there should be no cover-ups, there have been many in the past, by all nations some to continue to boost moral, and also for securely purposes.

[Gromit]

// Since Civilians look no different to combatants, is it any wonder some get killed, especially when the Taliban are sheltering behind civilians. //

Come off it AOG, that is not what happened in these incidents:
// An errant American rocket strike on Sunday hit a compound crowded with Afghan civilians //
http://www.nytimes.co...ld/asia/15afghan.html

// Twelve Afghans died Sunday when two rockets fired at insurgents missed their target and struck a house //
http://www.politicsda...n-kills-33-civilians/

// The US Special Forces who ordered an air strike that killed at least 27 civilians in southern Afghanistan on Sunday may not have satisfied rules of engagement designed to avoid killing civilians, Afghan and coalition officials say. //
http://www.smh.com.au...le-20100223-p0pv.html

// On Thursday, a rocket missed its intended target -- a group of insurgents -- and killed seven police officers. //
http://www.politicsda...n-kills-33-civilians/

Each were cockups and the civilian population are paying a heavy price.

[Quinlad]

"I do not know why the media are allowed free release of situations such as this, it can only make our troops already difficult job out there, even more difficult than it already is."

Maybe I'm giving our armed forces too much credit, AOG, but I suspect there's a clear strategic reason for making media releases such as these. They're fighting a propaganda war - communicating the oncome of a fearsome attack strikes fear into the enemy and makes their job easier, not harder.

You concerns you refer to do make sense but I suspect allied forces will have properly considered them and concluded that they don't outweigh the benefits.