NATO under fire for Afghan civilian deaths
The bodies of Afghan children killed by a NATO airstrike -- a human tragedy, a defeat for American troops whose number one job is to protect the population, and a propaganda victory for the Taliban.
It happened in Helmand province over the weekend, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin. A Marine foot patrol was ambushed by insurgents. One Marine was dead and the patrol was still taking fire from two houses when they called in an air strike. The houses were demolished, but in the rubble the Marines found the body of only one insurgent. All the rest were women and children.
U.S. military officers say it appears the Taliban fighters were using the civilians as human shields. It will take an investigation to determine whether the marines should have realized that and not called in the air strike.
But Afghan President Karzai did not wait. He told reporters air strikes on Afghan homes would no longer be allowed.
"The Afghan people can no longer tolerate these attacks on their homes," said Karzai.
Karzai can demand a halt to air strikes on homes, but General Petraeus, the commander of all U.S. and allied troops in Afghanistan, must order it and in a written statement he promised only to examine our actions. Just two weeks ago, Petraeus sent out this letter to the troops directing them to review all the procedures for avoiding civilian casualties.
The exact procedures are classified but they can be summed up in one word: Patience.
But it's hard to convince a Marine under fire that protecting the people is more important than killing the enemy.
