Post by jgaffney on Jul 1, 2011 0:44:21 GMT -5
Apparently, all of the civilian casualties in Afghanistan are our fault, according to Refugees International:
More than 250,000 Afghans have fled their villages during the past two years of fighting, Refugees International says, in a report critical of U.S. Special Forces and other international and Afghan military operations for exacerbating the displacement of civilians.
The total cited in the report, to be released on Tuesday, is less than 1 percent of Afghanistan's estimated population of 28 million people, but it reflects people's concerns about their security as the war here nears its 10-year mark and the U.S. is poised to start withdrawing combat forces.
President Barack Obama announced last week he was ordering 10,000 U.S. troops home by year's end; as many as 23,000 more are to leave by September 2012. That would leave 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
"As the U.S. begins to draw down its forces and transition responsibilities to the Afghan government, the Obama administration must mitigate further displacement and ensure that the Afghan government takes greater responsibility for the protection of displaced people," the report said.
It seems that Refugees International completely ignores the role of the Taliban in killing and displacing Afghan citizens. Of course, that doesn't fit the template, so it is ignored. At the same time, the group seems to be saying that the US shouldn't be in a hurry to leave before the Afghan army is ready to protect the citizens. Did President Obama consider that fact before setting the deadline for withdrawal of American troops?
More than 250,000 Afghans have fled their villages during the past two years of fighting, Refugees International says, in a report critical of U.S. Special Forces and other international and Afghan military operations for exacerbating the displacement of civilians.
The total cited in the report, to be released on Tuesday, is less than 1 percent of Afghanistan's estimated population of 28 million people, but it reflects people's concerns about their security as the war here nears its 10-year mark and the U.S. is poised to start withdrawing combat forces.
President Barack Obama announced last week he was ordering 10,000 U.S. troops home by year's end; as many as 23,000 more are to leave by September 2012. That would leave 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
"As the U.S. begins to draw down its forces and transition responsibilities to the Afghan government, the Obama administration must mitigate further displacement and ensure that the Afghan government takes greater responsibility for the protection of displaced people," the report said.
It seems that Refugees International completely ignores the role of the Taliban in killing and displacing Afghan citizens. Of course, that doesn't fit the template, so it is ignored. At the same time, the group seems to be saying that the US shouldn't be in a hurry to leave before the Afghan army is ready to protect the citizens. Did President Obama consider that fact before setting the deadline for withdrawal of American troops?