Killing of Afghan civilians

Since the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan the US soldiers have killed thousands of innocent civilians and explained casualties as collateral damage or the result of a mistake. But what happened in the wee hours of Sunday in Panjwayi district of southern Kandahar was just plain cold-blooded murder of 16 civilians, including nine children and three women, as they slept in their homes. Many others were injured. There are two versions of the incident. According to the official account, a lone American soldier entered Afghan homes and went on a rampage. Other reports quoting eyewitnesses say a group of American soldiers arrived in their village, entered homes and opened fire; and that the soldiers were laughing and appeared to be drunk. One man, whose 11 relatives, including his children and grandchildren, were among the dead, said that the Americans poured chemicals over the bodies and burned them. Sooner or later the truth will come out. But at this point, the lone man version suits the US since the killings can be explained away as the act of one insane individual. It would be unsurprising if the second version proves to be correct. More or less similar incidents happened in Iraq as well. American soldiers know that they enjoy immunity from punishment. It is worthwhile to note that otherwise a champion of human rights, the US has established a working relationship with the International Criminal Court to become a state party in the body's decision-making process, but refuses to ratify the Rome Statute - the treaty under which people can be tried for, among other things, war crimes and crimes of aggression like what occurred in Kandahar. Also reinforcing the soldiers' behaviour is the general attitude in the US not to apologise for any wrong committed by Americans abroad. Just last month, President Obama came under sharp criticism from his Republican Party opponents for apologising to the Afghan people for the burning by American soldiers of the Holy Quran, that provoked massive anti-US protests causing 40 deaths. Apparently, he had felt compelled to do that for the sake of protecting and promoting his country's longer-term plans for Afghanistan. Obama has now said he is deeply saddened at the shooting spree, offering "condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and to the people of Afghanistan, who have endured too much violence and suffering." And of course Isaf commander General John Allen has condemned "this deeply appalling incident" promising to hold anyone found responsible "fully accountable." That though is not going to help. During the last decade there have been as many as 200 attacks by members of the Afghan forces on their Nato 'partners' resulting in the death of 70 Isaf soldiers and injuries to another 100. That shows the level of anger and resentment over occupation and the manner in which the occupiers have been treating Afghans at the infamous Bagram base prison. The burning of the Holy Quran further deepened those sentiments. Soon afterwards, two American advisers were killed while sitting in the safety of an Afghan Interior Ministry safe zone. Coming close on the heels of the Holy Quran incident, the killings in Kandahar are sure to add fuel to the fire of Afghan anger, and force the US to hasten the exit of its combat troops from the country. More importantly, its plan to maintain a long-term presence in Afghanistan, under a strategic partnership agreement, always a difficult proposition, will be heading straight towards failure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2012