collateral damage

[low_delta]

How many civilians were killed in Afghanistan?

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020204&s=massing

Comments

[sherahi.livejournal.com]

Good article.

Of course, my first random thought to enter my head: if the Taliban had handed over OBL/his leaders, when asked to, those people likely wouldn't have died and the Taliban would likely still be in control. Not a very smart deicision really on their part. The leaders, their 'brothers,' are still free but they- the Taliban, were tossed out of control.

I wonder how many people were expected to die of starvation with normal aid over there, compared to the higher amount of aid they got this winter. ... I dunno.

I hate that 'innocent' people died. Whether it be US or Afghanistan. But that is what happens in times of conflict. I'm sure more will die in the future, on both 'sides'. And I'm sure each ruling government/body will make it seem like they are right and the others are wrong and evil. Nothing new with that. No doubt that pattern will continue for hundreds and thousands of years if our species makes it that far.

[Gee, why won't reporters go to villages to see how many are dead? It couldn't be the caravans that get blown up and hijacked and people kidnapped and such, that the taliban has been doing since before this conflict even started!...I think our news force has to be the most anti american press in the world. If they can make our government look bad, you know the washington post is all over it.]

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

But since the Taliban didn't care whether the people died, and al Quaida probably preferred that a lot of civilians died, was it an even bigger failure on our part?

Re:

[sherahi.livejournal.com]

There were a lot of targets missed, and I'm sure many died simply for that reason. So yes, that is a failure. Its a failure of judgement and failure of equipment in many cases. Our own people died for the same reasons.

Also, I really think that if the forces had been WAY more aggressive, we would have gotten OBL and his leaders. But they were trying to be concerned about minimizing civillian deaths, and to respect the local people. Was that a failure? Its a fine line to walk.

I looked and looked just now for an article I came across through yahoo, but I can't find it. It talked about how much food aid is going there now and to regions that it normally wouldn't, and that is saving many thousands of lives that would have been lost if just the usual aid had been given out. Of course I can't find it now. :) But that is something else I take into consideration.