Afghans Claim U.S. Marines Used Excessive Force
The Washington Post reports that “an investigation by an Afghan human rights commission alleges” that a “platoon of elite Marine Special Operations troops reacted with “excessive force” after an ambush in Afghanistan last month, opening fire on pedestrians and civilian vehicles along a 10-mile stretch of road and killing 12 people — including a 4-year-old girl, a 1-year-old boy and three elderly villagers.”
The investigation, based on dozens of eyewitness interviews, found that Marines in a convoy of Humvees continued shooting at at least six locations along the road, miles beyond the site where they were ambushed by a suicide bomber in a van. They fired at stationary vehicles, passersby and others who were “exclusively civilian in nature” and had made “no kind of provocative or threatening behavior,” according to a draft report of the investigation obtained by The Washington Post.
35 civilians were wounded.
Before people start jumping up and down and say that it all could very well be based on lies:
U.S. officials familiar with the report by the constitutionally mandated Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said its findings are “troubling” and consistent with the U.S. military’s preliminary investigation, which led this week to the opening of a criminal investigation into the March 4 shootings in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangahar Province.
Together, the reports contain “more than sufficient evidence of wrongdoing” by the Marines, said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chairman of the House panel that oversees U.S. Special Operations forces. “There is very troubling information in those reports that must be investigated,” said Smith, who was briefed Thursday by Maj. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik, head of the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
That sounds about right: this should – obviously – be investigated. If the investigation by the U.S. military finds that the findings of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission are accurate, the marines should be held accountable.
The sad truth is that if the West wants to fight terrorism and extremism effectively (in Afghanistan), we have to be ‘the good guys’ for the local population. ‘We’ have to build a bond with them. There has to be a good, working relationship. They have to know that the West is there to help them.
Not to randomly shoot them.
Now, of course I cannot possibly say that it happened as described in the WaPo article, but there is enough reason to be quite suspicious.
The West, albeit especially the U.S., cannot afford to have these things happen (too often).
Cross posted at my own blog.
16 Responses to “Afghans Claim U.S. Marines Used Excessive Force”
A Latoon? You must mean Cartoon.
Ok, well it would seem that the Marines have quit an unredeemable reputation for slaughtering children in the last few years. What the hell is wrong with these people? They bring more DISHONOR to this country than ever “honor”. There were calls to disband these wild maniacs years back, I say we need to revisit that thought!
Is it that they think they are above reproach that these murders continue? Stories about how they jump on grenades to protect each other, but oh oh can’t take chance SHOOT THE FOUR YEAR OLD!
You know, with lunatics like these committing War Crimes with impunity I find it really difficult to look foreign nationals in the eye each time the subject is breached.
Why does “BABY KILLER” keep returning from the past?
My, my, my, are the sixties really coming back? I’ll know more after reading the responses of the more level-headed leftist commenters to the slander above.
It would be hilarious to see G. Weightman call General Hejlik a liar to his face don’t you think?
Probably unlikely though.
I was referring to the slander of an entire branch of the armed services, not to the allegations in the original news story.
Sorry about the confusing reference.
It’s great to see restraint on your part for this random act of violence. When 15 marginal sailors talk to much, honor is lost and a naive sailor is ridiculed. Love your restraint this time, in the Iran-UK hostage situation nobody died, just macho EU bravado.
I have no idea about what really happened during this tragic incident in Afghanistan — and neither does anyone else reading this post. But I am glad to hear that it’s being investigated.
Of course, it’s unfair to generalize about the Left because of a single wild-eyed commenter. Still, I find it fascinating that no one on the Left side on this website has, as yet, stepped up to chastise White Agent for this slanderous attack on the entire Marine Corps. I thought that the Left supported the troops, even though they disagreed with the war in Iraq’s rationale. And we’ll leave aside the fact that this incident occurred in Afghanistan.
The Left lost a great deal of political capital after the Vietnam War when they were perceived (rightly or wrongly) as blaming the troops, e.g., “baby killers�. Attacking the political leadership is fair game; attacking the Marine Corps is a mug’s game.
G. Weightman,
If individual troops do bad things, then they also deserve our condemnation. Even if they are just following orders.
I’m just generalizing though, I don’t know about this particular incident.
I don’t know anyone who would disagree with that.
Weightman,
I think that’s part of the explanation for some the reaction to the troops that were in Vietnam. Those troops were asked to destroy villages and kill what they knew were innocent people. It was their duty to refuse those orders, even if we still should reserve our harshest condemnation for those giving the orders.
G. Weightman- I am Tired of hearing that old “you don’t know what happened” BS. The Marines do not deserve anymore “benefit of the doubt” because it has happened way to often. What makes me sick, is those like you that are always ready to cover for them no matter how trigger happy they get. Talk about enabling.
Furthermore you are full of BS. The left lost NO political capital after Vietnam. They gained! Otherwise we would still be in Vietnam! Not to mention shutting down Jarhead Olie North and Ronnie Ray-gun’s Murdering bastard Contras. Hell, we changed the entire persona of government in the U.S., much to the chagrin of hard charg’n war mongers like you.
Yes when one, not to mention SO MANY war crime incidents occur in “one branch of the military�, IT IS A REFLECTION ON THAT ENTIRE BRANCH. Otherwise they would not all wear the same uniform.
Look, you can’t be a war hero and a child murderer in the same breath. Get control of the Marines or get rid of them. Thats my message.
Are you saying that this was the standard operating principle? If so, can you provide some documentation?
I wonder what percentage of people on the Sinister Side of the political spectrum actually think like this.
One need only read some Vietnam War history. Agent Orange, My Lai, fire bombing… just take a look at the civilian death toll for the Vietnamese.
My Lai excepted, the incidents cited didn’t involve the deliberate targeting of civilians. And how much of the civilian Vietnamese death toll was the responsibility of US forces? How did it compare, say, to the percentage of civilians killed in the Second World War? I don’t know, and I suspect that you don’t either.
But I do know that there’s only one side in the current war whose tactics involve the repeated mass slaughter of civilians. As Bob Dole used to say, “where’s the outrage about that?�
G. Weightman- We called them “zippo raids”. There was never any doubt that we burned villages. Its clearly and generously documented.
Current and repeated mass slaughter of civilians, yes, and its OUR FAULT! Why aren’t we protecting these people? Why haven’t we established order? Because Bush invaded while ignoring the world telling him it was a STOOOOOOPID idea! AND SO IT WAS! There’s the OUTRAGE!
I always got the feeling that the far left had contempt for our troops despite their claims of support. Thanks for being honest.
“The criminal is to go free because the constable has blundered?”