The Afghans unfolded what looked like blankets and kneeled. "They're praying. They are praying," said the Predator's camera operator, seated near the pilot.
By now, the Predator crew was sure that the men were Taliban. "This is definitely it, this is their force," the cameraman said. "Praying? I mean, seriously, that's what they do."
Anatomy of an Afghan war tragedy – LA Times
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April 11, 2011
Military Intelligence Is An Oxymoron
Comments
Leader of death squad that targeted innocent civilians to receive an “admonition”
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Apr 11 2011 7:32 utc | 1
You mean they’re not “fighting for our freedom?” Absolutely criminal.
Posted by: ben | Apr 11 2011 16:00 utc | 3
“Preying? I mean, seriously, that’s what Predators do.”
Posted by: catlady | Apr 11 2011 18:26 utc | 4
military intelligence leads to humanitarian bombing from the American left.
Same as it ever was.
Posted by: Eureka Springs | Apr 11 2011 20:30 utc | 5
The rebels look like a bunch of yuppies who are out on a lark. They set the mattress on fire. If Aristophanes were around today; he could really exploit tomfoolery like this into a great comedy.
“tragedy”, of course, is for how much the Us soldiers suffered when they realized their mistake
like the Vietnam tragedy was all about the veterans’ sufferings
it’s solipsism
@U$: an admonition is enough, considering how much that soldier must have already suffered for his mistake …
Posted by: claudio | Apr 11 2011 23:01 utc | 8
I caught NPR this morning reporting on protesters with RPG’s and rockets. I wondered when a protester becomes a rebel, an insurgent, or freedome fighter….
And when they become illegal combatants (happens only when they oppose the US?).
Cloned Poster’s link to rebels with rockets made me recall this.
Posted by: jawbone | Apr 11 2011 23:05 utc | 9
the cameraman:
“Praying? I mean, seriously, that’s what [Talibans] do.”
catlady #4:
“Preying? I mean, seriously, that’s what Predators do.”
great!
Posted by: claudio | Apr 11 2011 23:09 utc | 10
@ Uncle
“We’re so sorry, Colonel Tunnel;
We’re so sorry if we’ve caused you any pain.
We’re so sorry…Colonel Tunnel;
But the kettle’s on the boil
And I’m afraid it’s gonna rain.”
[with abject apologies to The Beatles]
From the story that b linked to: the minute the guys with the Predator’s joystick exclaim, “sweet target” , you really want to reach for the barf bag. Most murderers are at least cognizant of murder (murder being what it is: murder); only for the sickest of the sick, is it “sweet”.
the Us conducted a thorough investigation, at the end of which they learned lessons, encouraged more politically correct language, and reprimanded and disciplined its own soldiers
they got as far as apologizing and compensating the victims
and they are suffering, suffering so badly for the tragedy …
now that’s a superior civilization
Posted by: claudio | Apr 12 2011 0:51 utc | 12
Notice how a normal human reaction from a Pakistan Military Chief is described as an “outburst” in this BBC Report from 17 March 2011 on the killing of 44 Afghan Civilians:
Pakistan army chief Kayani in US drone outburst
also notice that in a follow-up report on March 18th 2011 4 of the dead are originally described as “suspected militants”, as if that makes it alright to kill them:
“One missile was fired at a car carrying suspected militants. Three more missiles were then fired at the moving vehicle, . . . . .
but then 2 sentences later they are now 100% confirmed as definite “militants”, citing nameless “local officials”:
“At least four militants in the vehicles were killed, local officials said.”
So that’s settled then as far as the BBC is concerned – the “militants” are to blame, for daring to be being “Militant”, even if they were in fact only “suspected militants”, or as some might call them, until shown reliable evidence proving otherwise, “completely innocent”.
BUT: the most interesting point of note, for me at least, was this one from the original BBC report:
According to the tribesmen, the meeting was being held to discuss a local land dispute over the ownership of chromite deposits in the area. They say that no militants were present at the time.
Posted by: hu bris | Apr 12 2011 3:22 utc | 13
Rare Earth [Metals] hunt leads to frontier Africa
. . . and to Afghanistan:
Rare-earth shortage? Afghans think they can help
Amid surging demand for rare-earth minerals used in everything from cell phones to gas-saving cars, Afghans are dreaming of cashing in on vast deposits they believe lie beneath their feet.
The problem is that they are in one of the country’s most dangerous spots, on the south bank of the Helmand River
Posted by: hu bris | Apr 12 2011 4:51 utc | 14
More drone “intelligence”: Two US soldiers killed in friendly-fire drone attack in Afghanistan
The two had been on foot and were approaching Helmand province’s Sangin base, centre of some of the fiercest fighting in Afghanistan over the last decade. They were mistaken for the Taliban by marines, who were under fire at the time and who called in a missile strike from a Predator drone, NBC said.
They don’t know fiend or foe, just “sweet” targets …
I don’t think intelligence is an issue, they are intelligent, just civilians are not a factor to them, they do not think they have to factor that into their calculations, as long as the media does not pick up with gruesome photographs.
Western high tech armies factor in safety for their soldiers, as they recruit them from democratic societies, therefore prefer they prefer planes and drones. They also factor in lucrative contracts (planes and drones), growth, career opportunity, basically they are entities of their own with their own interests, representation, corruption, lobbies etc. like any organization …
Strategically they function like terrorists, they can destroy, but not control the outcome, i.e. Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and now Libya.
Moussa Koussa, whose role I find interesting in terms of chess, sums it up, when he threatens/warns of Libya to become Somalia.
Now, that, however, might be in some people’s interest, however, not the oil industries – they will not get anything for a long time, if that happens.
Posted by: somebody | Apr 12 2011 7:36 utc | 16
somebody @ 17
Thanks for remembering… most folks do ‘forget’ about Gaza… the US Congress would like us to forget about operation Cast Lead so that Israel can move forward with operation Cast Lead II…
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/04/senate-letter-calls-goldstone-report-a-libel-of-israel.html
Posted by: crone | Apr 12 2011 15:12 utc | 18
The rebels look like a bunch of yuppies who are out on a lark. Copeland.
At one time about 15% of Kosovars and x percent of ppl from other Yugloslav regions lived in Switzerland. Very long-standing Serb immigration.
During the Kosova war, young people joined, on both sides. (Nos. unknown.)
We had a campaign in schools to stop it but it was not very effective, maybe even detrimental (no study or post facto analysis was done.)
They left together, almost always by bus, wearing ordinary clothes – military uniforms are forbidden (except Swiss.) They sang songs altogether NOW and wore shades, shared food, hassled the few tough girls in a friendly way. After the Italian frontier, they changed clothes, and sat on opposite sides of the aisle of the bus. (Italy cares not if one is passing through and all discussions with the It. Gvmt were useless, as usual, the Swiss would say.)
Once on the ground, details are sparse.
What is certain, is that they fought each other, despite the fact that many were long term classmates, acquaintances, and that they had shared (for some/many from birth) a particular status, i.e. foreign kids in Switzerland.
It is clear that few (%? ?) returned. How many died is a mystery nobody has investigated.
Woefully ignorant and unprepared, they set off on an extra special.. school trip..
Posted by: Noirette | Apr 12 2011 15:29 utc | 19