July 30th, 2010
04:23 PM ET
Riots in Kabul after deadly car accident
Scores of people rioted in Kabul on Friday after a vehicle carrying four U.S. contractors was involved in an accident with a car carrying four Afghans.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said it had been informed of deaths and serious injuries among the Afghans in the accident. After the accident, people burned the American vehicle and another going with it and they threw rocks at Americans.
"The U.S. contract personnel cooperated immediately with local Afghan security forces ... who were on the scene and dealing with the situation. Our sympathies go out to the families of those Afghans injured or killed in this tragic accident," the embassy said.
when will be this war ends??????????????
http://www.myspace.com/brendal360
just press play on Combat in Iraq. It's easy to set back a speculate why things are being handled the way they are but the bottom line is that with any country someone is in control of the forces that are fighting each other. Once you sign up for that force you have to go in the direction they tell you. Yes two wrongs doesn't make a right but in order to stop the wrongs we have to stop the ones that dwell on killing Americans. We the people have always extended a hand to help people in need but it is over shadowed by the twisting and manipulation of media. Yes a missile may go astray and kill innocent people but that was never the intention, and it only happens a few times but once the al-qaeda's propaganda machine gets their hands on the one incident they edit it and cut and morph it into something that gives a false image of whats really happening. The bad done will always overshadow the good especially if the people manipulating the information is al-qaeda twisting and cuting and editing the truth into whatever they have envisioned.
This is what my four kids are putting their lives on the line for everyday? Not worth it. I'm sick of this deployment and the constant worry. I want them home. This really has nothing to do with 9/11. I'm also sick of all of the hatred that spews forth like green slime from the supposedly erudite morons who don't know what they're talking about. If you haven't been there, you have NO idea what's really going on.
Private contractors! Call these thugs by their true name, mercerinaries. I cannot believe that America is allowing people like that to be linked to us. It is time for us put these people out of a job by leaving the middle east and taking care of our own.
We need to get out NOW. This is Viet Nam redux!
LTC Retired
35 years serving, 22 active, 20 months Nam.
We waste $900 billion on the military every year, twice as much as ALL other countries combined. Where are the anti-deficit people when we need them. No more empire building!
Sadly I think this is a lost cause. Even our "ally" Pakistan is double dealing behind our backs and has been for years. We can't rely on anyone over there. They all despise us, don't want us there and will never, ever trust us. I understand the rationale that Afghanistan will become a failed narco state and terrorist haven if we leave but it just doesn't seem worth the sacrifice any longer.
Ok all you leftist conspiracy lovers... answer this: Why doesn't your savior Obama fix all this?????
I agree with many comments regarding the US leaving Afghanistan and their citizens having a very low opinion of Americans, etc. What I don't like are the comments pegging someone as 'unpatriotic' and for anyone displaying the least bit of criticism toward American policy to leave. *That*, my friends, is unpatriotic. What makes this country what it is, and what soldiers are allegedly fighting for is the freedom for any one of us to be critical of each other, the administration, etc.
Let's hope this country (US) focuses on its citizens once again.
what a mess boy's.some day ,when you folks[americans] pull your flag down and leave dodge city ,like vietnam.those bearded fighters are going to come down out of those mountains,look at those women and children and with an evil smile say "WE'RE BACK" because when that day comes and it is coming those poor women and children are going to be off worse then before.WAY TO GO AMERICA AND YOUR FOREIGN POLICY PROGRAMS!!!!as for all your frustrated comments on hunting down the taliban.one well respected korean war veteran up here in our area summmed it up with one simple comment "THOSE FOLKS COULDN'T TRACK A WET RAT ACROSS A DRY CEMENT FLOOR"let's see boys how should we sum this up ah yes HAPPY HUNTING FOR THE TALIBAN NINE YEARS DOWN AND A LIFETIME TO GO!!!!!!!!
"Our sympathies go out to the families of those Afghans injured or killed in this tragic accident," the embassy said."
Our sympathies? Are you jocking??? According to the Law You must pay MONEY to the families of killed or injured!!!
American fake troops should leave Afg at once. They have not only failed to secure the region, there presence in fact has worsened the situation. Afghans are dying on daily basis because of american bombardements. Take the war to Pakistan: the place where all the terrorists are born, raised and helped by the ISI to conduct terrorist acts inside Afg and India.
yes...thank you for that.
I'm sadden for those hurt in this accident but I personally don't believe the area call Afghanistan is worth the loss of a single American life. Find a "reasonable warlord" and support him as needed and call it a day. Then they will have the central government we seek. Will it be ugly? Probably. But when I see pictures like this I really don't care. Let them go to @#@# in their own fashion. No more lost American lives or money and they can return to the 13th century!
You right-wing nutjobs are a national disgrace,Navy Seal.How dare you vomit you right-wing ignorance on this webbsite!
OUT ! ! !
.
The vast majority of Americans who work here in Kabul are former high school teachers, accountants, city planners, factory supervisors and farm managers and I assure you that none of us condone the violence...no matter who the victim is. We do, however, understand where the resentment on the part of the locals comes from. Most of us are restricted in the contact we can have with locals by the security policies of the organizations we work for. Many of us aren't permitted to walk without an armed guard, we can only ride in an armored vehicle, our compounds have extended walls topped with razor wire and, for all of that, a good number of us could support a small Afghan village for a year on our monthly salaries. No...I don't suspect you are giving us any sympathy...fair enough. Ironically, a large number of us would be quite happy to work for normal wages and live in modest houses in Afghan neighborhoods. It isn't about the money but about the change we can, and do, bring.
Please understand that we do not drive here. Our organizations hire local drivers and give them specialized security training that teaches them to be aggressive drivers and to not stop if there is an accident. No amount of shouting or pleading by us is going to stop the car we are in if there is an accident.
At the end of the day, though, if I was a non-American living in a fortified house with armed guards somewhere in Indiana or Missouri, drawing an unfathomable salary, and being driven around in an armored vehicle that struck a local soccer mom's car and tried to drive off...there would be a mob and there would be bloodshed.
Mercenaries don't abide by the laws. Blackwater changed its name, and all is forgotten. They break laws, torture, murder ,all of them, and the hatred, then, is directed at the Army.
What y'all Army folk recruited behind Wal Marts in Alabama and other economically depressed areas don't understand (either due to lack of education, or generations of imbreeding), is that Taliban, unfortunately, IS Afghanistan. When you live in that dump, Afghanistan, you are more likely to subscribe to the view of the World espoused by Taliban, than that of a nation that descended upon you from across the Oceans... Don't you have a Playboy to read?
"Cooperated with the local Afghan security forces"? Come on. Who are we kidding? UNLESS these were also Americans dressed in Afghan uniforms, who we are cooperating with is the same rioters and murderers, who just happen to be playing cops at the time. When are we going to stop pretending that Afghanistan is a nation with its own security forces??? We need to get out of there. And invade Pakistan.
I had always heard about the valor of the Afghans.
All I hear from you everyday Afghan is the whingeing of sniviling cowards about how they can't stand up to the Taliban. If you can't stand up to them.....you will be enslaved and buried by them.
I guess the one thing the US can't instill in the Afghans is a backbone!
Congratulations to the four people in this comment chain who know how to spell, punctuate, and write clearly.
Remember 911 i seen it first hand lets do what we set out to do what ever it takes.They hit us we hit them harder.No time to be liberal over there.But we should eventually get out of there when the time is right.We have a long fight it seems
That;s the problem. The time is NEVER right... In Vietnam, we waited for decades for the time to be right... It's normal that brainless people go fight wars... But do you also have to use the Internet?
USAF member of CAPTF
Thanks CNN! once again you are quick on the draw with horrible news. Where is the story about the 2000 lives saved just 2 days before this incident? It is tragic the loss of life no matter who or where they are from. Let's broadcast the good too... Please? The link below is an awesome story on lives saved this past week.
http://www.ntm-a.com/blog/categories/aircorps/1158-afghan-air-force-rescues-over-2000-in-two-days?lang
They wouldn't have to be saved if we weren't there.... Every time Army talks about lives saved, I hear spin.
Thanks CNN! once again you are quick on the draw with horrible news. Where is the story about the 2000 lives saved just 2 days before this incident? It is tragic the loss of life no matter who or where they are from. Let's broadcast the good too... Please? The link below is an awesome story on lives saved this past week.
http://www.ntm-a.com/blog/categories/aircorps/1158-afghan-air-force-rescues-over-2000-in-two-days?lang
During the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, the United States was able to fight its wars without hiring mercenaries.There is something seriously wrong here, especially when members of the US armed forces are being shorted on equipment, pay, and medical care - even charged for the uniforms that were cut off their bleeding bodies - while mercenaries (many hired straight out of the service) are being paid six-figure salaries. That is just wrong.
With the exception of a few posters, the majority of you have probably never been in the Services let alone stepped foot in the 'Stan'. I have never read such bigoted, semi-literate nonsense in my life. I am getting ready for my 2nd tour there having already down 2 in Iraq and to be honest, some Afghans don't want us there and there are some that are glad we are there. I actually love the people and their culture (Being a history buff). Tramping around in an area where Alexander the Great and his Macedonians fought the ancestors of the people here now is really an eye-opener.
Their driving skills are questionable and the rioting most likely inspired by agent-provocateurs from the Taliban or just pent up fustration but most Afghans once you have earned their trust will take a bullet for you.
As for the use of drones. They serve a purpose if properly used such as intelligence gathering but the only way to beat the Taliban is good old fashioned small unit tactics and actually living and working with the locals. It works but I am an NCO and my powers are limited. This is a dirty war and civilians die...that's sad but it's sadder when the Taliban uses them as cover in a firefight and our liberal press and their equally idiotic supporters cry out about our guys and the Coaltion forces being murderers.I and my fellow soldiers are professionals and I love my job..something you will never understand.
They US troops and other military convoys threaten like wild and they pretend that Kabul is like jungle. They hit people cars no body considers don't care about traffic rules. As I m aware the American sergeant says kill one afghan in fact you killed ten people (the person who have been killed he will born 10 children) so there for they say like that.
We would hate imperialist invaders in our country killing and raping too.
I am in Kabul right now and know several of the people who were in the accident. It was an accident and it was caused by the driver of the Afghan vehicle. Typically, he did not look when he came out of the side street and was going very fast. The Embassy vehicle could not react . The Embassy vehicle was a heavy armored reinforced vehicle and it was still disabled by the Afghan vehicle. Sucide vehicles are always running into convoy vehicles and blowing them up. This was not the case here but the person driving the Embassy vehicle did not know that. Tragic accident caused by negligent driving. There are always people who will use tragedies like this to cause hate and discontent.
Fred: This was an advertising paid for by Blackwater. Now, we return you to our scheduled programming.
Two nations created in the name of religion are the cause of more than 75% of the world's problems: Israel and Pakistan. Dismantle them and the world will be a safer place.
Bernice Swanson is celebrating her 101st birthday. Still looking young!
This segment is sponsored by Smuckers.Now lets see whats happening.....in your neck of the woods.
No here's what's happening....... in your neck of the woods.
Funny to think the Taliban were our allies duirng the cold war. There is only one right thing to do here, GET OUT!
so where is all that kumbya love we should be getting after all those apology tours of obammy's?
MAYBE INSTEAD OF THE BLACK WATER WANNABEES -AND THE XE DING BATS OR EVEN THE SPECIAL FORCES –MAYBE -THE U.S. SHOULD HIRE A GROUP OF NINJAS -THE REAL ONES -"HEY TALIBAN GUESS WHO THE SPECIAL FORCES LEARN FROM "AT LEAST IN PART OF THERE TRAINING, CERTAIN ASPECTS "I THINK ITS ABOUT TIME THAT THE U.S. SEND IN THE PRO"S "IF THEY CAN FIND THEM " :}
"We trained the Taliban.....formerly known as the Mujahadeen......just another example of CIA blowback like the 1953 overthrow of Iran."......
Yes, many of the Taliban are our former allies in our struggle with the Soviets. The Taliban are illiterate country people, like the rednecks in the American South.
The kind of thing that happens when you make a deal with the devil.
They were our friends and heroes when they were shooting down Soviet helicopters with humanitarian aid, and military ones, too. You can't raise a mad dog in your backyard thinking it will never bite YOU.
Looks like a pajama party gone terribly wrong.
They should be home to take care of they fat Americans wifes
I'm not fat.
Ok, they're just looking for reasons to riot now. I remember the good ol' days when riots meant something... like the Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup.
Dude with the pipe looks like a caveman lol.
Annex 'em and tax 'em.
this "war" is nothing but a jobs program for the unemployable.
And this probably has a lot to do with why our leaders don't call it off. Think how many jobs that are supporting the materials, arms, transportation, food services, uniforms, trucks, and on and on woud be lost if suddenly they weren't needed. Our economy would really be in shambles. Our troops are paying for this with their blood.
Amen.... Look at where they recruit... In economically depressed areas, behind Walmarts and Home Depots.
ARC-Light, thank you for the true facts of past history in Afghanistan. If only our American leaders would learn the history of battles and conquests in Afghanistan, along with the results, perhaps they would make the decision to pull out our troops and quit wasting American lives over a war that cannot be won. How many times must we go through this before we learn we cannot win a limited war with special rules of engagement. War is nasty. War is brutal. Innocent people die. To win, it has to be total or not at all.
Americano odiado em toda parte, porque arrogante, assassino e invasor. Ok?
Vous avez bien raison,cherry.Je vous reponds en francais car je ne comprends pas portuguais.
Must be something about terrorism trailing that compels them to stand on top of vehicles...
RIOTS FOLLOW EVERYTHING THERE LIKE CATS TO FISH
some day all forign invaders will wake up and see these people do not understand our version of normal -these people have lived the same way -tribally since the bible was written -i think they called them scythians back in the ancient days -since there living areas -regions have statyed the same since -kind darious of the medo-persians -there tactics havent changed -but have prevailed -please understand they have been at the cross roads where invaders -empire building has went through then since time in memoriam –every empire that has tried to build and sustain anything in there areas have failed -the only ones who lasted -let them do as they wanted yet still they lasted longer but did not last -thus afghanisatn is known as the graveyard of empires -they are verry hearty redundant and resiliant people-the only way to win a war with these people is not wage war in there region . learn from history .the russians where five times more brutal and they still lost in many ways its obvious we no longer have there trust and there hearts and minds by the riot photo you cant win a war like this -so why try . war won is grounds secured -this war is not won–who ever reds this -please consider what i said – ....
with out the peoples support this war is lost -end of story – because will just be wastimg our time and money till we leave -then the afghan people will revert back to the way they were when were gone .... so untill the people are with us again everythings a waste of time money material and lives .......im suprised vietnam didnt teach us this .....
We trained the Taliban.....formerly known as the Mujahadeen......just another example of CIA blowback like the 1953 overthrow of Iran. We need to quit meddling in the mideast and propping up corrupt monarchies like the house of saud.
Hard to turn down a good arms sale though.
As far as Blackwater/Xe.......steroid infested goon squad.
Tara, I suggest reading the history of World War II and the Normandy invasion. I believe you will find it's true.
Jamie, can you support the numbers you claim?
Can anybody say occupier? Ah contractors; Falluja and bagdhad and now Kabul. The ultimate right wing privatised war.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100730/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan
Required viewing. 20 kilometers in a year. How about a hundred years.
Is this progress???
This is good propaganda for the Taliban and Al-Quaeda.
Is this the way to their hearts and minds. Noooooo. Al-Quaeda is winning on this one.
What do you expect out of contractors-thugs working for the money, not the Afghanistan's.
Wake up and liberate your country.
I wonder why US never turned the cold war into the hot war. Answer is obvious.Do not start any thing with the one who can smoke you.
Countires US have invaded are and were no where close to US military power and again the answer fight the easy ones and paly safe LOL.
Mentality is to prey on the weak and destory their countries and lives and justify to the American people that they need this huge military force to safe guard their way of life what a joke.
Way to go Jamie. It's wonderful to finally see a post from someone that has a functioning brain.
On the first day of the Normandy invasion, 12,000 allied troops died. When the US and allies shelled and bombed the inland cities being occupied by Germans, over 20,000 French civilians were killed. To the French we were still heros and they welcomed us. Compare this, if you can, to the situation in Afghanistan. These people are not ready to die for their country nor will they do so. There is no patriotism among them. This is not a government, but hundreds of tribes.
They submit readlly to the strongest warlord. Have been doing it for hundreds of years. We cannot force hundreds of years of culture and tradition. The Russians and others also tried and failed.
That was sure a ditard comparison, the Germans had a 30,000,000 man army with heavy armor and aviation. We are spending TWICE as long as WW2, and spent TWICE as much as WW2, fighting no more than 25,000 Tango hillbillies, by the CIA's own published estimates, that's $6,500,000 per Tango, per year, indefinitely. This is Daddy War Bucks war profiteering, that's all it is, that's why it's no a declared war, but a perpetually $T deficit funded 'contingency action'.
AS CANADIAN I SEE WHY THE AMERICANS ARE THE MOST HATED IDIOTS IN THIS WORLD....90% OF THE WORLD STILL HATES YOU!!
Mr.President Tear down this war
I SEE THE AK-47 IS THE MOST POPULAR RIFLE IN THE AFGHAN POLICE....LOL...!!!
Goat power only goes so fast. You see the people coming to try to help, you move out of the way goatpeople.
WAS BLACKWATER INVOLVED?
tanks,jets,helocopters,all the technology and the most advanced weapons,yet when someone fights back oh my god how dare they those barbarians?
#1 reason we cant fix or help afganistan, YOU CANT FIX STUPID!
I get a kick out of this, they whine and cry saying we cant use drones, why not? Tell you what, you give up all the IED's and quit using all the weapons from other countries and recruiting their dumb wannabe fighters and we will quit using drones, hows that?
I agree with this fully. Its amazing to hear that people dont criticize how the warfare is being fought. The U.S is held to a strict way they can engage in combat, where as the Taliban fight as dirty as they want. The Taliban would use Drones if they were smart enough to have access to them.
This will probably become the iconic picture of the American defeat in Afghanistan shown in future history books. We did what we said we would, and chased Bin Laden and Mullah Omar out of Afghanistan in 2001-2002. We could have said, truly, "Mission Accomplished" and gone home with victory. But no. WE decide to "nation build" again in THEIR country. Haliburton, Xe, ITT and others hadn't made enough money. So eight years later, the people of Afghanistan are sick of us pushing them around in THEIR country. Many hate the Taliban, but they hate the arrogance of US contractors and occupiers more, at least for now. We NEVER learn.
when it happens to the other country the americans and thier news outlets call it people power, it will be interesting to see what they call this one.
by Mohammed's hallucination and weird imagination.
Koran 98:1-8 The unbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures.
Oh yeah?!! How about this then?
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you may nations...then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy." Deuteronomy 7:1-2, NIV. 1
"...do not leave alive anything that breaths. Completely destroy them...as the Lord your God has commanded you..." Deuteronomy 20:16, NIV. 1
Yes we all know its a peaceful religion right?
Koran 9:29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last day, nor hold the forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and his messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jiziyah with willing submission. And feel themselves subdued.
I feel kind of sorry for that poor Excursion. Sweet vehicle! Sorry tree huggers.
At nearly age 70 I have seen ENOUGH war! I was born twelve days after Pearl Harbor was bombed, and since then we have had few periods of time when we haven't been killing and maiming mostly women and children and tearing up the land they live on. If you guys want to be warriors, go ahead and be warriors. But let's package you all up and put you all together somewhere with like minds and keep you away from the rest of the world and let you slaughter each other. Men love war, men have kids and then leave them to volunteer to go to war, because men want to be with their buddies, not their families. Unfortunately, the lust to kill is an instinctive part of the human male's makeup.
Well put,Lilarose.
Howdy, all. I'm a right wing American, defense contractor, Republican...
and I think we have no business in the middle east.
For most of my 55 years on earth, Afgnistan ranked right up there with Benin and Upper Volta on the insignificant country scale. All of a sudden it has strategic interest?
same thing with Iraq. only noticed because of the name similar to its neighbors name. Out of the blue, it matters?
if you are in your fifties you can remember the demonization of a dozen couuntries and cultures in your life, and the subsequent rehabilitation.
in my lifetime we have spent a trillion dollars on helicopters, fighters and bombers, but we have not picked a fight with a country that owns aircraft. We sure kicked butt in Grenada, eh? taught them there Somalis a lesson.
we transport enough young men to populate a medium sized city 9000 miles across the ocean to countries smaller than 40 of our states and call them the agressor.
what problem are we solving? when did it become our problem? how will we know when it's solved?
Not picked a fight with a country that owns aircraft?? What are you smoking?? No dogfights over Korea and Vietnam? No fighters going head to head with Libya? No aircraft in Iraq? Give me a break. No doubt we OWN THE SKY, but don't make it seem like we haven't been opposed! And I didn't even need to go back to WWI or WWII.
Interesting nary a peep from anyone when 20 plus people die in a Taliban IED attack on their bus. Taliban are stirring up trouble at any civilian casualty involving NATO forces. We go down by limiting ourselves in this War or we fight the good fight and win. Hugging the enemy will not help.
Amen.
Our congressional oligarchy [$7 million dollar yachts,etc.] doesn't care about Americans. What in God's name do you think they care about the Afghans? Please list the reasons...
This is a useless stupid war with nothing to gain for US but the furits of a poisonous tree. Anyway you look at it, no one is going to appreciate how many US soldiers died there to secure their freedome or how many us tax payer dollars provided them with basic needs. In the end they are going to take pride on the fact that they kicked infidel Americans out of their country and libreated their homeland from Invaders.
(BTDT
Until you have been to Afghanistan to see first hand how things are in Afghanistan and how those people can't think for themselves. Until you have driven in Kabul and have seen the lack of organization an sheer lack of common sense. Don't open your mouth. Don't knock XE they do a service that you would only hope for if you were in Afghanistan.
I don't see riots when a suicide bomber kills scores of civilians I guess that is OK. I guess it is t is OK when your child, wife, mother, brother, father sister is killed by a suicide bomber. I don't see rocks being thrown at the Taliban and their vehicles (trust me the average afghan knows who they are). If they would rather have the misguided and oppressive Taliban then let them have it. I don't see your average Afghan stopping them. It is amazing what ignorance will breed.)
Best comment left on here. Agree 100% and I am a person that spends 90% of my time in Afghanistan in Kabul so I see it firsthand.
The best thing to do with that piece of real estate is to leave it in the dark ages where it is now. There has to be some place on earth that sinks to the bottom of the civilized order.
What may being missed by people making the decisions to bring " democracy" to Afghanistan is the fact that the people are still living the way they did 150 years ago. They probably need potable water and basic health care more than they need a Government that meets western standards for democracy. Difficult to understand, unless you stand in line at the Kabul International Airport and watch them handwrite your baggage tags.
Its like the autism puzzle piece!
Bob from VA, we are all humans and creatures of God. On average the American consume 80% of the world's scarece resources and the rest of the 3rd world that comprise of 80% of the world population is left with only 20%. Have you asked yourself why America should be consuming so much? So to me as a poor citizen of the world that car that got destroyed was the blood and sweet of the poor people that America robbed and not the American's tax payer's money!
I agree. Basically is the human avidity that is cause for the wars. The rest are excuses
how is life in Salerno? I miss that place! I miss the overpriced chai at GB that they never got right! wish I was there now!
Peace is very much possible in the region but looks like uncle Sam is not serious about it. There is Iran, there are the central Asia republics with mega tons of resources and oil. There is China and the Uighurs and then there is India coming as the the next super power. That is why uncle Sam is not serious about dealing with its own Frankestain child – Pakistan's ISI! America knows ISI is responsible for the bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul and for the indirect killing of the coalution soldiers but turns a blind eye because then who is going to do the dirty work for them in the event if plan A doesn't work? The American father or mother who lost their sons in Afghanistan should be doing a deeper research into their government's dealing and wheelings with terrorist network such as ISI and taking their politicians to courts for the murder of their sons and daughters. The Afghans can only seek justice from God because there is no other impartial international body to listen to their greivences.
That armored vehicle that was just destroyed cost the American taxpayer in excess of 250K. So as we continue to bring democracy to the people of Afghanistan, just be aware why your paycheck is taxed to the max and the American poor get poorer. Makes sense to the politicians I guess.
Bob,that's because most of our politicians are in cahoots with the MIC(military-industrial-complex) and that's all there is to it.
Afghans are hospitable people but not to red-neck and cowboy invaders. Accident do happen in every part of the world and people die but if you see how these red-neck and cowboy drive these massive cars on the narrow streets packed with people, you will then understand the outrage of the locals who throw rocks or but the vehicle as show in these pictures. Back in the late 70s European tourists would drive all the way from Europe and pass through Afghanistan and local people would greet them and serve them with tea and cold water and there was no need for police or military escorts. People respected the natural law of the land and they treated foreigners as guests. America made a mistake to bomb Afghanistan after 9/11. There is more than one way to skin a cat to acheive their objectives. It is only a matter of time for the American policy to fail. The best solution now is not to fight in the South and let a shadow government or militia arise to take care of the security. Once the momentun is there then the Western alliance negotiate for a peaceful settlement. The Pashtuns in the south will not accept Karzai no because he has lost every bit of credibility and no amount of American marketing or branding him will make them buy it. As Obama said in his inauguration speech that "we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist". Come to think about it it is the otherway around where he persued the same policy of his predecessor by increasing the numbers of troops to a region where it really need development and economic aid.
How do you develop and aid economically a country that destroys what you build? A country that kills little girls for going to school? You people are idiots, plain and simple.
Get back to work, George, Daddy War Bucks needs your taxes.
Explain why you think it was a mistake to invade Afghanistan? Did you forget that al-queda blew up the twin towers and the pentagon? Where do you think the al-queda was based at??
If you talk so much crap about whats a mistake then how about if you propose a solution?! What would you have done differently?
what I am trying to say these terrorist both in Iraq and Afghanistan .. look like civilians..or the civilians often protect them
None of us that aren't there understand the mentality of the people that live there and the lack of common sense. I agree with BTDT on all points. I have a loved one that works as a contractor for XE and I pray for his safety everyday. I wish the military and our contractors were more respected for the dangerous job they do everyday. None of us would want to trade places with them unless we had no other option. I am glad as far as I know none of our guys were hurt...and to Lubin regarding the so called Baghdad massacre.... kinda hard to tell who the friendlies are when they all look like Afghan civilians!!!!
I am sorry if you have some relative involved. I do not consider a just war. I don.'t need any protectio
I think the Afghans know that the US contractors are making TONS of money, as I know since I am one of those contractors, and they don't appreciate being driven over by overpaid, trigger happy, inconsiderate drivers in their own capital. We wouldn't allow that here in the states, and we need to remember we shouldn't do things in foreign countries that we wouldn't want anyone to do to us in our country here.
Frank and bob a little much I would say.
Veteran...I respect you if you are true veteran. You didn't say which war you are a veteran of though. Doesn't matter if you are a veteran I respect that. Waste of lives and money....what is your solution then veteran? Just pull out and create the biggest terrorist training camp in world history? You have a problem with my thoughts but what is veteran's solution to the problem?
Kandahar is on it's third regional governor after the first quit and the second was murdered. 15 out of 20 Karzai Governoring positions are unfilled and remain empty. This second application of America's 'shake and bake' strategy is a failure much as it was in Marjah. Not worth the American and NATO lives spent, nor the American taxpayer dollars to support these continued failed policy's and failed strategy.
Pakistan does not want the Karzai Clan to succeed in ruling Afghanistan and the Pakistan Fighters are seeing to it that Hamid Karzai fails. India want's Hamid Karzai to succeed and implement the Trans-Afghanistan natural gas Pipeline (TAP) across Afghanistan to feed it's desperate need in New Delhi, India.
It is a utterly corrupt use of American taxpayer dollars to give Billions to Pakistan who are directly disrupting the Karzai rule in Afghanistan. The American people do not want to fund more Mumbai, India slaughters of Indian Civilians nor paying Pakistan who is enlisting Suicide Bombers to murder American and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Same question to you as I posed to veteran. What is your solution? You have a lot of complaints but not one of you have proposed a solution.
It's only their decision when the consequences stay within their borders. When the Taliban decide to harbor Al Queda and then people outside Afghanistan are murdered, it's no longer up to them.
There is no easy solution – only radical ones. Complete and total subjugation of Afghanistan. Long term plans would be to educate them and help them utilize their natural resourses, ie. oil, gas, mining, tourism.
History has shown that Afghanistan could never be easily controlled except with an iron fist. Their politicians are obviously corrupt and play both sides of the line, and are on cohoots with the Pakistani politicians.
Industrialization of Afghanistan has to expand exponentially. Once people get jobs and begin to earn, their attentions will be more concentrated on Capitalism.
Afghan society will eventually evolve and become independent and self sufficient expelling the Taliban element.
Just a radical thought.
Soultion: Stop double dealing with Pakistan. They are the enemy, and should be recognized as such.
Hope this wasn't another Blackwater / XE type incident like their massacre in Baghdad.
Until you have been to Afghanistan to see first hand how things are in Afghanistan and how those people can't think for themselves. Until you have driven in Kabul and have seen the lack of organization an sheer lack of common sense. Don't open your mouth. Don't knock XE they do a service that you would only hope for if you were in Afghanistan.
I don't see riots when a suicide bomber kills scores of civilians I guess that is OK. I guess it is t is OK when your child, wife, mother, brother, father sister is killed by a suicide bomber. I don't see rocks being thrown at the Taliban and their vehicles (trust me the average afghan knows who they are). If they would rather have the misguided and oppressive Taliban then let them have it. I don't see your average Afghan stopping them. It is amazing what ignorance will breed.
i agree dont open your mouth until you have been there and lived it.
Very well put,afghan.
Right on brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Jerry, you should appreciate the freedoms you have rather than criticize those who put effort in securing such freedom.
Right on dude.
Afghans are clearly sick of Americans there, and how they feel about their own country is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. It does not matter whether we think they are rational or not, or running their country the right way or not - it is none of our business. We need to get out of there, leave them alone, and save billions that are sorely needed in our own country. We could fix healthcare and education with the money we'd save if we only stopped fighting useless wars.
If you hate the U.S so bad, then I will be glad to buy you a one way ticket out of the Country. Its so funny that people can critisize a country so bad, but yet they still live here. If the great country of United States was so bad, then why is there people coming here illegally. In Kuwait, you talk bad about your country, you get lashings. Thats why this country is becoming so unpatriotic. What war were we in when our country was attacked? Wait we weren't, we did what we believe in. We fought for ourselves, people will die, innocent or not, thats what happens to be able to have freedom. Its happen from the very first war in history. So please feel free to contact me and I will make sure to give you your one way ticket to Afghanistan since that is the country you are sticking up for.
Hmmm, I've been there and lived it, Kabul and Kandahar, the Afghan people were doing just fine since they organized in the early 1700s, while Americans were still dragging their knuckles slaughtering indigent tribes and whipping their slaves, the Afghan people conquered from India to Iran and held it intact for longer than the US is going to, once this December rolls in. Neither the Afghan people nor the Taliban had anything to do with WTC 9/11, it was all a pretext for Cheney Pipelineastan.
Good politician answer there Chip, no wonder we are where we are, people like you.
To GET REAL so what is your point there has to be some tangeble goal in Afghanistan it cant be to throw lives and money down the drain. the Taliban are following the Vietcon play book you dont have to win just dont lose and you will outlast the Americans.
I am here now and I see the nonsense first hand. We have no reason here, I am far from my family in harms way for no reason. Thier is no winning of this war
@Jerry: congratulations, I am pretty sure you are the first person that I've seen actually defend the terrorist and knock the patriots. Be sure to tune in next week, when Jerry takes a shot at all those cowardly sober drivers who get in the way of the poor drunken drivers. You sir, are a dumb@$$!
Also, I'm not sure how the UAVs work, but I am pretty sure there is no way it could support one of those 500 lb. bombs.
Hey you Huh,knock off the right-wing mumbo-jumbo,will you???
this "war" is nothing but a jobs program for the unemployable.
al - I am here right now too... Since you obviously would not comprehend my high level discussion, and arguing with you would just waste valuable time & energy, I will take it down to your level & simply say... you are an idiot.
BTDT
Your right. I have been in Aghansistan for two years and it is ok for a lot of Afghans when their family members are killed by a suicide bomber. Inshallah. At least they were not killed by an infidel!
I agree I spent 7 months driving the streets of Kabul in the military; it is pure chaos and has no order at all. Accidents happen all the time. Anyone who makes a comment without being there does not know anything!
the UAV's dont fire off 500lb bombs, they fire hellfires (2).
Not all of the afghani's are bad people... (Rhetorically speaking) Would you like to be so uneducated that you can be brain washed and hooked on dope to the point in which you strap a bomb to your motorcycle drive up to a cross walk and blow upwards of 20 middle aged teenagers to bits? Look at trends, not at what the news publishes and holds out screaming "READ ME" while leaving any backdrop of the story or explanation out, if you go to a ghetto what are the people doing to make ends meat? Thats right usually something unethical an down right illegal. Why? Uneducated and not given a chance, dont get me wrong I know and understand for a fact some people are just plain stupid/greedy and will continue on their charade of drug sales/mugging/illegal acts but more often then not its a survival thing due to the environment.. What are we doing in afghanistan? Slowly trying to build some form of stable police/army force and probe the area for any possible resource or some form of country based income (aside from poppy...). In my opinion education is one of the biggest issues here, if the children of this country have no chance of growing up to become leaders in a morally positive environment then the country will continue its trend of drug trafficking and breeding the same people who are currently holding back the country from growing past their barbaric natures.
There was much more to this 'accident', you can read the head lines and form an opinion thats your right, and I'm here for that reason but understand this is not the full story.. All this article is doing is seeding more hate towards people who took some action due to an injustice (cause we sure as hell wouldn't of punished our own for their own stupidity), and then a 'news' station hacked it into a profitable story which everyone of you are just eating up and causing more regret towards our presence here (dont worry they'll do a pole soon and see if its working, then follow it up with another news story telling america that america doesnt wanna be here). I can't wait to get home.. just so I dont find myself reading these articles and wondering how people grow up to be mindless ranting fools..
Ohh one last thing,,, for those of you who are taliban and use platforms like this to spread minor propaganda for the love of god/allah/baby jesus/whatever you believe stop assisting the terrorists in their misguided attacks. Taking the lives of bystanders is not worthy of a heaven, I dont care what religion you believe its downright wrong and the 'fear' you believe you're instilling is nothing but childish.. Hope still binds people and will continue to do so, if it didn't you wouldn't have a culture to terrorize on a daily basis.
it makes you wonder when the afghans hate you (americans) more than a suicide bomber.... Could it be that your presence and what you offer to the afghan people is even worst than death and killing your own kids? I wonder how many thousands of murders were committed by US troops in the name of oil over there, thank god for those leaks, otherwise we would never find out and the truth would be hidden....... remember one thing, when the truth is not known, freedom does not exist. Freedom and lies do not coexist together.
Maybe there aren't any riots over a suicide bomber because they hate us fir coming to their country and making a complete mess of it. And those Stinger missiles the Taliban have: where do you think they got them? We sold them to the Taliban back when the Taliban was fighting the Soviets.
I think Wikileaks has told americans why it have happenned if they have any capacity to undertsand
BTDT, I agree with completely. People want to bash wars they have never been a part of and speculate how people they don't even know think. So, let me make it clear. The afghans don't protest against the Taliban or Al Qaida for a couple of reasons. 1. they're scare. 2. It is in Afghan culture to offer support, extend friendship and open their homes to Arabs. it is considered "haram" not to do so. Additionally, in in Arab culture is common to support people of you family, tribe or faith against anyone else. Since we are considered Christian they are more likely to passively support the Taliban than the Americans based on that alone. It has nothing to do with us "murdering" thousands of civilians More civilians doe from suicide bombs and roadside bombs than from American operations and mistakes. Also, notice there are no women in this picture and one group of people does not represent the mentality of the whole country.
MaryM,enough with that right-wing ignorance already!How old it gets!!!
@Chip H. Your history is as bad as your logic. You're thinking of someone else besides the Afghans, though they are pretty good at making their country unlivable, for their own people as well as invaders. We have a legitimate purpose there, as they housed and trained the people that attacked us. It was a mistake (which I shared) to try to help them, though I think it would have worked if Bush had not wasted time, dollars, and force in the unnecessary Iraq war. The Afghan war was justified.
Chip H that's great you talk about America in the 1700's and we are in 2010 now? What have the Afgans done in the last 200 year's? The Taliban were based in Afghanistan that is why Bill Clinton fired 70 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan to retaliate for the attack's on the USS Cole and the Embassy in Yemen remember that?? Let's see Obama has been in office for 18 months now and he a escalated the war by putting 30,000 more troops on the ground. Yeah that must have been those right wing nut jobs right George Patton? It's not like the Democrats have been in control of congress since 2007 and have a majority. Oh wait they do. If you want the idiots to shut up start with yourself.
Very well said.
You ever think the reason the Afghans don't riot when the Taliban blow things up, might just be because they are more afraid of the Taliban than they are of the Americans. I haven't been there, but my husband has. There are many many people there that are thankful for the Americans in their country. Many people who have lived under the dreadful, strict, ridiculous conditions and laws enforced by the Taliban that want out? You really think we should leave them to suffer under such rule? Do you really think it's okay that they encourage men to beat their wives and sell their teenage, sometimes younger, daughters to men who will abuse THEM? Do you know how many women have tried to burn themselves alive because of all these things? You are really saying with all the power we have, that we should just sit by and watch? We are there for more than oil and we are there for more than revenge. What is wrong with you people?
What I want to know is what's wrong with you with all that right-wing mumbo-jumbo you just vomitted here,soldierswife?So you think that we own Afghanistan the way Germany owned most of Europe during WW2?We can help the Afghans by leaving their country!!!!!!!!
Come on soldierswife,wise up!!!I did.
soldierswife. George Patton and ted55 are one and the same person. amongst other aliases they also call themselves onesmallvoice Bledsoe BUBBA–ALABAMA STYLE!!! Joseph McCarthy and interestingly Anabel. Oh yes and Daniel-2.
And don't forget us,Phunnie boy.Me,BTDT and USMC forever.
have you been there and seen such things??
You are correct. The "right to riot" i because it is the evil satan, America, that has done this terrible thing. The afghans, much like the Liberals in this country won't accept responsibility or accountability for their own actions. Sad for some of them, but maybe we just need to ban any immigrants from these "third world" countries unless they are willing to come here thru the proper channels, declare allegiance to American and cast off their native country if they want a new life here.
It is an informal discussion...who cares about spelling. It is the meaning that is important.
Spelling is important because it determines whether or not your opinion can be counted as an educated one or not. If you are unable to spell basic fifth-grade vocabulary words, then whatever point you make is immediately invalidated. Nothing infuriates me more than reading these comment threads and seeing the ignorance of the masses in motion. This country is going to continue falling apart so long as 98% of our population remains completely uneducated. You people spew the same one-liners and repeat the same quotes you've heard elsewhere and somewhere along the line you think the opinion is actually your own.
Jeez it's a car accident. Imagine what would happen if people rioted for every accident in the civilized world.
If it is a car accident or not an accident, justice must take place. In afghanistan justice never take place. If no justice, these kind of actions will take place. If there is no justice In america, you will see worse than this.
Let's not forget that the Taliban had an opportunity to hand over Osama bin Laden, and chose to protect him. That effectively makes ALL of them accomplices in the 9/11 attack.
We should burn every single member of the Taliban. Once that's done, THEN the troops come home. Leave Afghanistan to the Afghans, just take the Taliban out of the equation.
Really? so if the vietnam government wanted us to turn in the perpetrators of the My Lai massacre (where US troops murdered unarmed civilians for the heck of it) do you really think we would turn in those murderers to them? would that make our entire country a bunch of murdering criminals? I don't think so. Your failures are not the rest of the country's failure, it's your failure and yours to keep. Stop blaming everybody else.
Why is so hard for u idiotic people in America to realize that for every one Afghan or Iraqui citizen that u kill u make probably a thousand more enemies. Each citizen that u kill have family and extended family & friends it is a war that can not be won. If I was a citizen of Afghanistan and I wanted to get rid of the Talaban and the Americans came in and then they were the ones that killed my uncle & cousins now I want to join the talaban to get rid of these obnoxious foreigners
These people are animals. Who acts like this?
Uh...Laker fans after a championship maybe???
Duh... who acts like this, lemme see? LA riots after Rodney King was beat. All the riots during the 60's and 70's in Detroit, Chicago, etc etc etc...
people, this might explain it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html
what do you think?
iJustWannaGoFishin
"cause we sure as hell wouldn't of punished our own for their own stupidity"
How ironic.
Josh, Josh Josh, you can do better then that. You are so beyond obvious CIA plant. No one believes what you are saying, people have woke up and only an elite controlled puppet would spew forth such lie garbage. Come to our side, so that you are not one of the rats on their sinking ship.
I am on his side enjoy your own shipwreck.
Could it be they just thought the Ford looked bad in that color? 🙂