Obama says he deeply regrets Afghan civilian deaths

[n2doc]

By Jonathon BurchPosted 2011/03/03 at 11:32 am EST

KABUL, Mar. 3, 2011 (Reuters) — President Barack Obama expressed "deep regret" over an air strike in Afghanistan that killed nine children, the Afghan presidency said Thursday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's palace said in statement on that President Barack Obama had offered his condolences during a video conference the previous evening.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in Kabul confirmed the two leaders had spoken Wednesday but could not provide details about the conversation.

Civilian casualties caused by NATO-led and Afghan forces hunting insurgents are one of the biggest gripes of ordinary Afghans and have driven a wedge between President Hamid Karzai and his main ally, Washington.

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http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre7224wj-us-afghanistan-civilians/

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. Then stop your "necessary" war and bring the killers home.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. ...but not enough to do anything about it.

[uppityperson]

3. I am glad he issues these sorts of statements. Wish they weren't necessary.

[Hannah Bell]

16. yes. if the french came to the us & conducted bombing sorties that routinely

killed civilians, i'm sure sarkozy's expressions of "regret" would fix everything.

his statement is pure & deep hypocrisy.

[uppityperson]

26. Who says his statement fixes everything? Perhaps you didn't read what I wrote

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. He then said, "Now watch me hit this drive..."

Same old BS!

Also, Hamid Karzai is simply a well educated warlord with, at the present time, the biggest stick (NATO) in Afghanistan.

The cost of chasing tribesmen around the mountains and plains of Afghanistan in terms of lives and money seems a bit insane to me.

[no limit]

5. Thats like an alcoholic that says he regrets driving drunk all those times but keeps doing it anyway

[FlyByNight]

6. Mr. President, there is another option...

...to what is now your Afghan imperial occupation. Blood on your hands, sir.

:mad:

[Lorien]

7. One of the "biggest GRIPES"???

"Oh, stop your griping about how we murdered your kids.." Jeezus.

It's far PAST time that we left the Mideast!

[walldude]

13. Not getting their "pony".... n/t

[Dappleganger]

15. +10000

[Ignis]

24. Nice catch.

I think I'd classify the incessant killing of non-combatants in Afghanistan as a little teensy bit more horrible than "an annoyance or irritation."

:banghead:

[thereismore]

8. Get the hell outta there, Mr President, this blood is on your hands!!! nt

[somone]

20. and the 861 U.S. soldiers who died in Afghanistan under him

[thereismore]

9. Mr. President, just think: these were somebody's sons! I know you don't have sons, but surely you

can empathize! Please stop this murderous nonsense! You have blood on your hands now too. Let's just go home.

[GeorgeGist]

10. Obviously not deeply enough ...

to control his urge to kill more.

[Autumn]

11. Of course you do

but not enough to stop it. Right?

[SolutionisSolidarity]

12. I'm sure he could drown the world in crocodile tears.

For once, I agree with the Republicans - quit apologizing, Mr. President. If you cared about these people, you wouldn't be escalating the conflict. Your false "concern" will win you few friends.

[Hannah Bell]

14. well, all right then. carry on.

[RagAss]

17. I think he regrets being a Democrat !

[tekisui]

18. I am sure he will regret the next ones, too. Coming shortly.

He doesn't regret the needless deaths to end the war.

[Unvanguard]

19. Sure, he probably does. They're still not any less dead. n/t

[gratuitous]

21. Yes, deep regret

Not deep enough to stop doing it, but deep nevertheless. As fed up as I am with this nonsense, I doubt it's a patch on the anger, fatigue, frustration, resentment, and righteous wrath the people of Afghanistan have. I just hope that someday, when one particularly pissed off Afghan comes over here to exact some revenge, he or she is able to reach the intended target, and doesn't just settle for whatever American is available. I'd hate for me or someone I care about to pay the price for these war crimes, but there may not be a lot of choice in the matter.

Thank you, President Bush, President Obama, and all your loyal administration employees, for making me and mine that much less safe and secure.

[Solly Mack]

22. "Civilian casualties...are one of the biggest gripes of ordinary Afghans..."

Wow


SSDD

[Blue_In_AK]

23. As well he should.

Now why doesn't he stop the war? This story made me very sad when I read it this morning. I just kept thinking of my grandsons, for some reason.

[Tsiyu]

25. Why is NATO so goddamned trigger-happy?

And why, in 2011, can't they distinguish children from grown men? What the fuck are we spending all our resources for if these goddamed sob's can't figure out the enemy from someone's little kids?

I am so pissed, as the mom of boys it just breaks my heart.

We're just there for the godamned oil, and to make lots of fucking money for the fucking military contractors.

Our decent soldiers (thay aren't all decent- you and I know that)and the Afghan people are suffering mightily. I had a son over there in 2001; it makes me sick that we are still there, ten years later, killing inncocent people for goddamned greed's sake.

Our money is being wasted along with precious lives, and Obama just says he regrets it. He should be outraged.