Posted on 09/13/2006 9:09:10 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
KABUL, Afghanistan - The U.S. military said Wednesday it is looking into the unauthorized release of a photo purportedly taken by an American drone aircraft showing scores of Taliban militants at a funeral in Afghanistan.
NBC-TV claimed that U.S. Army officers wanted to attack the ceremony with missiles carried by the Predator drone, but were prevented under rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries.
Lt. Tamara Lawrence, a spokeswoman with the U.S. military in Kabul, said the photograph was released to the network by someone who did not have the clearance to hand it out.
"It is an operational security issue, and the photo was released at an inappropriate level," Lawrence told The Associated Press. "Inquiries are being made into how it was released."
Lawrence declined to provide further details. It was not clear when the photo was taken nor where the gathering took place.
The grainy black and white photo shows what NBC says are some 190 Taliban militants standing in several rows near a vehicle in an open area of land. The black outline of a box apparently the sight of the drone is positioned over the group.
NBC quoted one Army officer who was involved with the spy mission as saying "we were so excited" that the group had been spotted and was in the sights of a U.S. drone. But the network quoted the officer, who was not identified, as saying that frustration soon set in after the officers realized they couldn't bomb the funeral under the military's rules of engagement.
Taliban militants this year have been waging their bloodiest campaign of violence since their 2001 ouster from power in the U.S.-led invasion launched after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The U.S. military has previously used Predator drones with deadly effect, firing one missile into a Pakistani tribal area near the Afghan border in January in a failed bid to kill al-Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri. The strike killed at least 13 civilians.
I've seen the story but not the photo. Anybody have a link to it?
It was reported on another thread today on FR regarding this photo that LTC Oliver North stated this "no fire policy at a funeral" was put in place under Clinton and was no one realized this as an issue until this funeral occurred. Evidently, Bush has recently changed or going to change this.
Pull the trigger!!!!
1. Another leak.
2. Another missed opportunity to kill our enemies due to some misguided rule.
President Bush needs to prosecute all leakers asap and ensure our troops can do their jobs w/out PC limitations. The last part may involve making some adjustments to the current ROE.
If we have to avoid hitting a funeral or cemetary due to the laws of warfare - ok, but let our guys hit them as they leave. If it's a b.s. rule we've added on our own - repeal it now!
Just an FYI, Sidewinders are infrared guided air-to-air missles. They don't work on ground targets. The Maverick, on the other hand is an air to surface missle. Best choice would be 1,000 pound to 2,000 pound JDAM's.
Geeze, the collatarol damage is already dead.
"killed at least 13 civilians"... last I heard they were ALL civilians. If they were "military" the fight would have been over long ago and the ROE would be significantly less restrictive.
This whole thing sounds like a set up job to ham handedly try to show that the Clinton bunch were no more screwed up than the Bush crew when it comes to whacking terrorist. Nice try but it won't work.
Oh for the good old days when our military had warriors such as Patton and McArthur, who knew what needed to be done and did it in spite of stupid Pentagon rules. Now we have brass that is more worried about preserving their rank and pension bennies than winning wars and protecting their soldiers.
exactly...
Suicide blast at Afghan governor's funeral (Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Last Updated 12/09/2006)
At least six people have been killed in a suicide attack at the funeral service of an assassinated Afghan governor.
Thanks for that, I am a munitions neophyte... but hey, it's the thought that counts. Perhaps an .88 Magnum ? :)
We keep fighting this war the PC way, and it will never end....
Worth repeating. I hope they never find the leaker and instead change this ridiculous Clintonesque policy. There is no excuse for this crap.
This is absolute madness.
What's worse?
- Releasing classified photos that clearly reveal our capabilities, and possibly methods?
- Or that the military can observe such a target-rich environment and can't shoot to kill because someone might get upset.
Is this a war or a slow suicide by PC?
It is obvious the lawyers are still running the Pentagon.
When we killed Zarqawi, the media wrung their hands because we killed his teenaged wife in that same attack.
Live with a gangster, die by his side. Eva Braun and Bonnie Parker learned this.
No, first I had heard of the story.. it's probably out there somewhere..
I don't want to either if it means ya might end up in jail like a Marine or two have of late, darn those ROE sometimes.
AP=BS
Better yet, destroy all access channels out of the cemetary, and let them die there. Convenient.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, arrives for the Sept. 11, 2001 commemoration ceremony in New York on Monday, Sept. 11, 2006. This year marks the five year anniversary of the attacks. (AP PHOTO/Justin Lane, pool)
So you have this:
"[american] rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries"
And then you have this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1700756/posts
"At least six people have been killed in a suicide attack at the funeral service of an assassinated Afghan governor"
Unless they are controlled leaks...
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