Military officials say that civilian casualties in Marjah, Afghanistan are “inevitable” as U.S. and allied forces launch Operation Moshtarak, the largest military action since the U.S-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Thanks in part to conflicting messages from ISAF and in part due to some residents’ inability to flee, many civilians remain in Marjah, in [...]
Posts Tagged ‘airstrikes’
Civilian Casualties in Marjah “Inevitable” as Largest Military Operation of Afghanistan War Begins
Posted: February 10, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, Helmand, Larry Nicholson, Marjah, Obama, Rethink Afghanistan, Taliban, war in Afghanistan
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Fallujah, New Orleans and Marja
Posted: February 8, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, air strikes, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, Fallujah, Larry Nicholson, Marja, New Orleans, Obama, Operation Moshtarak, war in Afghanistan
The media is buzzing in anticipation of the impending launch of Operation Moshtarak in Marja, Afghanistan. It will be the biggest military operation of the war so far, and, in many ways, the first fruit of President Obama’s repeated choices to add more troops and firepower to the mess that is the Afghanistan war. Marja [...]
A 6-Month-Old Blog Post is Burning Up My Comment Feed
Posted: December 16, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: air strikes, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, drones
You might as well join in.
Nothing to See Here, Folks: Pentagon Standard Operating Procedure on Afghan Civilian Casualties
Posted: August 8, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, Greg Julian
A few days ago I posted a blog about a U.S. airstrike killing three children in Afghanistan. It’s useful to examine the ISAF’s response to understand how the military’s propaganda apparatus works as the communications staff fights the “information war” against the Taliban. Here’s the initial ISAF press release on the strike: KABUL, Afghanistan – [...]
At Least Six Civilians Killed in Another U.S. Airstrike in Afghanistan
Posted: July 17, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths
Via Antiwar.com: At least six Afghan civilians have been killed and 14 more wounded as US helicopters attacked them overnight in the Kandahar Province. The strikes came after a US patrol came under fire, though it remains unclear if any militants were actually killed in the strike. Airstrikes ordered in response to U.S. troops under [...]
New York Times Again Ignores Civilian Toll of Drone Strikes in Pakistan
Posted: July 8, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: air strikes, airstrikes, civilian casualties, drones, New York Times, Pakistan, Pir Zubair Shah, Salman Masood
The New York Times again referenced the utility of drone strikes in Pakistan when they “avoid civilian casualties” while failing to mention that the overwhelming majority of people killed by U.S. drones in that country are civilians. Again, from a piece by Salman Masood with Pir Zubair Shah contributing: Publicly, Pakistani officials have been critical [...]
NYT Report Propagandizes for Drones, Ignores Civilian Killings
Posted: July 7, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: air strikes, airstrikes, civilian casualties, drones, New York Times, Pakistan, Pir Zubair Shah, Salman Masood
The story in today’s New York Times by Salman Masood and Pir Zubair Shah on the latest drone strike in Pakistan whitewashes the killing of children and tribal elders in an earlier airstrike: “The increased aerial strikes come as Pakistani military is gearing up for an ambitious offensive against Mr. Mehsud and his fighters, who [...]
“New” Rules Still Allow Tactic Responsible for Most U.S.- and Coalition-Caused Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan
Posted: July 6, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, airstrikes, Bala Baluk, civilian casualties, Farah
The “new” rules for the U.S. military in Afghanistan still allow the same kinds of airstrikes that cause most pro-Kabul-government-caused civilian deaths. AP reports the rules as follows: Airstrikes must be very limited and authorized but can be used in self-defense if troops’ lives are at risk. Troops must be accompanied by Afghan forces before [...]
Helmand History Hangover
Posted: July 3, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Afghanistan, airstrikes, civilian casualties, Helmand, Obama, Operation Khanjar, The Hangover
Having just seen The Hangover, I’m tempted to ask if the U.S. press corps has just taken a bunch of rohypnol before reporting on the Helmand operation. Every single report I’ve seen so far: emphasizes how absent we’ve been from the Helmand River Valley; and/or neglects to give any history about the actions of U.S. [...]
U.S. Launches Massive Assault on Taliban, Opium Stronghold in Afghanistan
Posted: July 2, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Afghan Women's Mission, Afghanistan, airstrikes, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, Obama, Operation Khanjar
Attempts to stop an escalation of U.S. military personnel and violence in Afghanistan officially failed this morning with reports of the “massive assault” under way on Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Thousands of US Marines stormed into an Afghan river valley by helicopter and land early today, launching the first major military offensive of Barack Obama’s [...]
