The amazing thing is, despite all the civilian deaths and bad strategic communication implications in Afghanistan, the US military refuses to limit noncombatant deaths caused by airstrikes.
Frustrated by the mounting toll of civilian deaths from U.S. and NATO airstrikes in Afghanistan, the government of President Hamid Karzai called Tuesday for a full-scale review of foreign-led military operations in the country.
Afghanistan's Council of Ministers demanded a halt to aerial bombings and an agreement with U.S. and NATO forces that spells out the parameters of international military operations in Afghanistan. Amid a spate of controversial incidents that raised questions about foreign troops' conduct in the field, the council also called for an end to overly aggressive house raids and illegal detentions.
More than 165 civilians have been killed in four separate airstrikes within the last two months, according to Afghan officials and independent investigators. The string of deadly bombings has fueled rising public dissatisfaction with Karzai's government at a time when it is struggling to cope with a resurgent Taliban amid increasingly fierce attacks on international troops in Afghanistan. With casualties among foreign troops hitting record highs in the last three months, the Afghan government's request for an agreement on military operations could signal a crucial turning point in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.
Using technology to substitute for local manpower can work in certain circumstances, but not in urban areas crowded with civilians. If the US and NATO forces have any desire to turn the tide here, they'll limit airstrikes to rural areas where combatants are clearly targeted. Just because we can use superior technology doesn't mean that we should.
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