Does killing Afghan civilians keep us safe?
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/12/art.afghanistankabul.jpg
caption="U.S. Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan after a ceremony marking the 7th anniverisary of the September 11, 2001 attacks."]
Peter Bergen & Katherine Tiedemann Peter Bergen is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and Katherine Tiedemann is a program associate there. Peter Bergen is also an AC360° Contributor and CNN National Security Analyst
Editor's Note:
This week, as we remember the nearly 3,000 American citizens who died in the rubble of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or in a remote field in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, we also should think about the civilians who are still dying in Afghanistan.
Consider, for instance, the recent American airstrikes on Azizabad, a village in western Afghanistan, on Aug. 22. The United Nations, Afghan government officials and independent witnesses all say that the United States killed about 90 civilians in these strikes, most of them women and children. Cellphone videos of the scene show motionless children lying under checkered shawls and veiled women shrieking alongside them.
According to a report by Carlotta Gall of the New York Times, dozens of freshly dug graves are scattered in the village's cemeteries, some so small they could fit only children. The U.S. initially said that many fewer civilians had died, but it has now promised a thorough investigation.
It's a grisly story but hardly an isolated one. The month before the Azizabad incident, Afghan officials say that American airstrikes near Kabul killed 27 civilians at a wedding party - including the bride. In another incident, on March 4, 2007, nine civilians died when their mud home north of Kabul was hit by two 2,000-pound bombs dropped by U.S. aircraft. American officials said they were aiming for two insurgents seen entering the house after firing a rocket at a U.S. military outpost, according to Human Rights Watch.
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Filed under: Afghanistan • September 11th Anniversary |
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Unfortunately in war, there are civilian casualties. This is inevitable. We are fighting terror. I feel sorry for the victims, but this is war. Maybe if the goverment hadn't spend so much time on Iraq, this much mistake would not be happening in Afghan. The intelligence would be more throughout, missions would be carried out more precisely.
That is a difficult question.
I do believe we need to take care to harm as few non-combatants as possible, but....
Think about the loss of innocent human life that occurs when tyranny, dictatorships, or groups like the Taliban are allowed to run regions of the world. How many innocents were put to death in the USSR? How many people have died in China at the hands of the government? How many dissenters have died in Cuba along with their families? How many woman have been raped, tortured, and murdered in Sudan, Rwanda, and in Darfur?
Unfortunately, the loss of innocents happen during war. If we weren't there in Afghanistan, how many people would die under the rule of either the Taliban, Al Qaeda, or another group like them?
I don't have an answer, Anderson. Just the question.
That is why this country needs so bad '08 Obama/Biden.
No more, Rove, Bush, Cheney.
And we dont want another Mcsame and Mcpalin.
PA
What a question!!!!! No! It doesn't keep us safe. It makes us murderer's......... Who are (we), to, play God?! Wake up America. God hasn't even begun to bring destruction upon us. And, when He does. Chance's are, America will put the blame on someone else. Just remember, what goes around, comes around. America, Bless God.
I'm really impressed of how our Democratic Nation its seems were more communist then democratic we the United States have trained Afghans to be terrorist against USSR(Russia) to be annihilated and also destroyed itself and also have Pakistan with herds of Afghan and terrorist taking refuge in Pressure from United States Request, not only did this approach annihilated Russia for some time but destabilized the whole world. The Bear is back and its hungry (Russia is Back)
Afghan left in stone age for another 100 years, and also U.S. left Pakistan Hostage at all levels from either Afghan, Russia ,India and also with feature terrorist. Also regardless of what mistake we make I myself and US citizens will protect America Unitedly at all cost weather or not its right or wrong. I believe our democratic medication for the world was more side affect then cure true Americans will agree to this.
This is a pattern being repeated in numerous war zones. Bad intellegence, old intellegence or chain of command screwups and we're bombing wedding parties. We bomb because our political leaders and Pentagon command has so little regard for other cultures and their civilian populations. Does anyone wonder why we are despised in so many places in the world?
And whilst all these innocent killings were taking place where was CNN's coverage? At the same place that it was when the train accident happened at the Channel Tunnel ...on the back burner, way behind your coverage of the 101 Obama/McCain Palin non stories.
Killing the civilains is bad.They shouldnt be attackign them,even if be accident.They have to be more careful towards who they kill.The ones they should be wasting are the ones who CAUSED 9/11.Also kill the people trying to kill the U.S and coalition troops.
This is a good, provocative post. Although nobody would be willing to state a 'yes' answer, all wars assume the answer is yes because civilian death is inevitable in war and usually exceeds soldier deaths. If you think war is *ever* justified then you are willing to accept the civilian deaths.
I would argue that given the nature of modern warfare and weapons there are only a few examples where civilian casualties should be tolerated. On the other hand, extremely targeted military strikes are often justifiable as something that protects the greater good.
One of the primary reasons we are in economic trouble as well as entangled internationally is that our strategy has been long governed by bureaucratic and inept old-style notions of nation vs nation warfare. Our 550 billion military budget – equal to all other nations combines – has largely been wasted as a result of congressional pork barrelling and mismanagement. Yet the reckless spending of those who call themselves conservatives continues unabated. You cannot be a conservative and support current military budgets, yet many Americans try to maintain that pretense.