NATO airstrike in Afghanistan kills up to 90

AP ^ | 9-4-09 | FRANK JORDANS

[SJackson]

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — A NATO jet blasted two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, setting off a huge fireball Friday that killed up to 90 people, including dozens of civilians, Afghan officials said.

The NATO command said a "large number of insurgents" were killed or injured in the pre-dawn attack near the village of Omar Khel in the once-calm province of Kunduz. In Brussels, the alliance's chief said it was possible civilians died.

Kunduz Gov. Mohammad Omar said 90 people were killed. A senior Afghan police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information, said that included about 40 civilians who were siphoning fuel from the trucks.

The airstrike is likely to intensify concern over civilian casualties in the Afghan war. Top NATO commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has ordered curbs on airstrikes after a strong backlash among Afghans over civilians killed in military operations.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a statement saying he was creating a panel to investigate the attack. "Targeting civilians is unacceptable for us," he said.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christine Sidenstricker, a public affairs officer, said NATO warplanes attacked and destroyed the two tankers after determining that there were no civilians in the area.

[coloradan]

If the tanker was under the control of Taliban, yet these civilians were being allowed to siphon gas from it, is it reasonable to assume those civilians perhaps had some friendly relationship to the Taliban? Inquiring minds want to know.

[LonePalm]

It's a start.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Concho]

Cavemen with AK’s. However the fireball is so simple even a caveman can understand it. You mess with the bull and you are going to get the horn.

[Rebelbase]

By the end of the day the story will be that the tankers had just arrived at an orphanage across the street from the baby milk factory to fill the school’s fuel tank before winter arrives.

[I Buried My Guns]

Hey, it's Friday. I'm not going to commit a lot of synaptic effort over this one.

My mama always said a person was judged by the company he keeps. If a few neolithic desert dwellers never learned that basic lesson, then their parents failed them.

[SJackson]

If the tanker was under the control of Taliban, yet these civilians were being allowed to siphon gas from it, is it reasonable to assume those civilians perhaps had some friendly relationship to the Taliban?

Yes, by virtue of the fact they live in a Taliban controlled area. This was a mistake, mistakes happen, killing civilians is an unfortunate byproduct, but not helpful to our efforts.

[coloradan]

At worst they were thieves (message: “please buy your gas from a gas station and do not siphon from tanker trucks, whether you know they were hijacked or not”) and at best they were all Taliban and Taliban supporters (message: “ESAD”).

[SJackson]

By the end of the day the story will be that the tankers had just arrived at an orphanage across the street from the baby milk factory to fill the school’s fuel tank before winter arrives.

That would be under the Bush administration, accompanied by calls for prosecution and impeachment. By the end of the day the story will be largely dead, and you'll never see Obama's name linked to it. Heck, note the headline, this was NATO's mistake.

[crescen7]

“is it reasonable to assume those civilians perhaps had some friendly relationship to the Taliban?”

yes. The media and liberal template for Afghanistan has been strikingly reversed from the Iraq template.

EVERY time we did ANY thing in Iraq we heard cries of, “We’re helping recruit insurgents !!!” (Even when we were building schools and giving out candy to kids.)

Now in Afghanistan, we send unmanned drones firing hell fire missiles into rural areas and the concept that we’re “helping recruit insurgents” seems to have been forgotten.

Oh yeah, I forgot - Obama was firing these missiles so those that are killed and maimed don’t mind so much.

[WellyP]

If the population understands that ALL “Taliban” have a bullseye on them the population will eventually be afraid to be anywhere near a “Taliban” and less regular people will die.

[castlebrew]

Let’s go to the video!

[Blado]

I am reminded of the old Afghan saying-

Light a man a fire and he will be warm for an hour.

Light a man on fire and he’ll be warm the rest of his life.

[musicman]

[thethirddegree]

Candidate for a group Darwin award.

[CPOSharky]

If the population understands that ALL “Taliban” have a bullseye on them the population will eventually be afraid to be anywhere near a “Taliban” and less regular people will die.

With more operations like this, the faster they will understand. With enough 'lessons' the 'civilians' might actually take some action on their own.

[agere_contra]

The Taliban use other Muslims as body armor.

As the Taliban refuse to wear uniforms and consistently put military targets in the midst of civilians, any and all truly civilian deaths in these situations are the fault of the Taliban.

[wny]

“...air raiding villages and killing civilians...” as Obama has said.

[monday]

“This was a mistake, mistakes happen, killing civilians is an unfortunate byproduct, but not helpful to our efforts.”

They were siphoning fuel from tankers hijacked by the Taliban. Basically they were thieves, trying to get something for nothing. Instead they paid with their lives. They all deserve Darwin awards.

[monday]

“Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a statement saying he was creating a panel to investigate the attack. “Targeting civilians is unacceptable for us,” he said.

Easy to see who's side the Afghan president is on. He is pro Taliban, anti American. Remind me again why we are helping these savages?