US probe finds fewer Afghan deaths than UN claimed

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

US probe finds fewer Afghan deaths than UN claimed

By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 18 minutes ago

KABUL, Afghanistan - A U.S. investigation into U.N. and Afghan allegations that dozens of civilians were killed during an operation in a small village found Tuesday that up to seven civilians died but that the overwhelming majority of the dead were Taliban.

An Afghan government commission concluded that 90 civilians were killed in the Aug. 22 fighting in Azizabad — a claim backed by a preliminary U.N. report. The U.S. report Tuesday said 30 to 35 of those killed were Taliban fighters.

The civilian death claims in Azizabad has caused new friction between President Hamid Karzai and his Western supporters. Karzai has long castigated Western military commanders over civilian deaths resulting from their raids.

The U.S. report said American and Afghan forces took fire from militants while approaching Azizabad. The incoming fire "justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close air support to defend the combined force," the report said.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080902/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan

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Also: U.S. says probe finds lower Afghan civilian toll - Reuters

[mike_c]

1. same as it ever was....

The dead were all "terrorists" or "Taliban" or "al Qaida" by definition. Since godlike American troops don't murder the innocent, all the innocent people they killed must have been guilty of something!

[WriteDown]

2. Could be either way....

Just like every time be bombed in Vietnam it was reported by the VC that it was a hospital or orphanage. Can't trust either report. Probably somewhere in the middle.

[iconicgnom]

7. Bullshit.

[WriteDown]

8. Fact filled and well reasoned response

:sarcasm:

[iconicgnom]

9. All that was required of your bullshit post.

[WriteDown]

12. If you say so....

if you can't backup your ridiculous outburst, just say so. hahahaha

[theoldman]

3. I guess the dead guys volunteered that they were enemy

fighters. This proves again that the first casualty of war is Truth.

[prole_for_peace]

4. Of course it did.

In death all Afghans are militants to the US. Even the children and elderly.

[daleo]

5. The killers investigate the killing

And say that the killing was okey-dokey. Call me surprised.

[Festivito]

6. From AP, so who knows?! /nt

[iconicgnom]

10. When the US does aerial bombardments of small foreign villages, yah, it's hard to count the pieces.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Let me guess...

They all had big letter Ts on their foreheads?