In the light of the Kill Team horrors, the Taliban will of course turn CENTCOM’s own motto right back at them: “Being first with the truth”? Was there ever a more ironic or Orwellian piece of nonsense than that motto? Rolling Stone is being dismissed by some right-wing, military groupie moonbats as a “left-wing” publication, in an attempt to portray the photos and the accompanying (and very damning) story as some sort of liberal plot to discredit the brave boys spreading 'enduring freedom' (pass the sick bag). This is a new low in long catalogue of the very low and will go a long way to countering any possible “feel-good” stories that CENTCOM may try and plant on its carefully controlled media. The opening of a school in Paktia or the sinking of a well in Badghis will not hold a candle to the butchering of innocent civilians. This is not the only issue infuriating the local population. Night raids in Helmand that target local teachers, calling them “facilitators”; airstrikes that mistake children gathering firewood or working in their fields for armed fighters; “escalation of force” incidents, which usually involve firing on civilian vehicles that may for some reason fail to stop at a hand signal – these daily, life-and-death situations will be difficult to brush away, no matter how clever the strategic communications techniques involved.
Not a good month to have going into summer's fighting season. Extensive consequences have emerged from Petraeus's original accusations that Afghans burned their children. NATO hasn't handled any of these incidents properly, even the ones it apologizes for. Petraeus may have the military momentum and political cards lined up in Washington, but he's losing control of Afghanistan's political and information spheres in the process.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that there is little sign of control. It's strange how all the military leaders who were considered to be 'a safe pair of hands' always turn out to have feet of clay. Perhaps all military, like political, careers end in failure.
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