Josef Blotz, a Nato spokesman, confirmed the attack. He said he regretted the incident and that Isaf would launch an investigation. "The reason for this is perhaps a co-ordination issue," Blotz said. "We were obviously not absolutely clear whether there were Afghan national security forces in the area." He extended the personal condolences of General David Petraeus, the newly arrived commander of Nato and US forces in Afghanistan, to the families of the victims. A Nato air strike killed four Afghan soldiers in Wardak province in January and the German army accidentally killed five Afghan soldiers in April in a "friendly fire" incident in Kunduz province.
Three thoughts:
I think Blotz could have left the word 'perhaps' out of his first sentence.
It makes a change for NATO to be 'not absolutely clear' whether there are Afghan soldiers in the area as opposed to be being 'not absolutely clear' whether there are Afghan civilans in the area.
It didn't take long for Petraeus to have to trot out the condolences in the context of another NATO bloodbath. It won't be long till the next time(see posts passim).
They weren't exactly clear? Looks like the policy is shoot first and ask questions later.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what they're doing?
'Probably' they don't, Filo in answer to your question. I see they are saying that there may have been 'miscommunication' over the incident. No, I'm not joking:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.examiner.com/x-37621-Public-Safety-Examiner~y2010m7d8-Fatal-air-strike-caused-by-miscommunication-in-Afghanistan-officials-say?
Tony: Stumbled on this day before yesterday: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LG08Df01.html
ReplyDeleteMust be going on all the time if as reprted they always carry the knives for the purpose.
From Reuters today.
ReplyDeleteKABUL — 'Hundreds of Afghans took to the streets of Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday to protest against mounting civilian deaths as the new U.S. and NATO commander considers loosening combat rules to better protect foreign troops.
The protesters chanted slogans against foreign forces and Afghan President Hamid Karzai after U.S. troops killed two civilians and arrested three others during a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday in the northern city's outskirts.
NATO admitted killing six people with stray artillery on Thursday, a day after an airstrike accidentally killed five Afghan soldiers.
Civilian casualties and friendly fire deaths among Afghan security forces have been a frequent irritant between Karzai and Western military forces during the nine-year war since the ousting of the Taliban.'
Petraeus better keep that standard apology dusted off. You know, the one he has written on a card about'always trying to avoid civilian casualties' in the aftermath of the latest massacre.