tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52017152841766905832024-02-21T22:15:38.449-08:00NewsEditorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-66664574243671612182011-03-25T11:10:00.000-07:002011-03-25T11:10:12.378-07:00Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers Plant Trees of Peace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u_kmUIpu8cH5vhGOs2Pxfn9u4Z1saIgoch6oO5J2ZuclXeMRLt26Lz9d6r3eSM1ZEAlUKe-QO4zy2lTVD6ahl7Zua8szDo2e1O7vAlHHatCfbcE4HCYRmyrvLvE_20U9G2LqM05PHaZk/s1600/plantingtogether.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u_kmUIpu8cH5vhGOs2Pxfn9u4Z1saIgoch6oO5J2ZuclXeMRLt26Lz9d6r3eSM1ZEAlUKe-QO4zy2lTVD6ahl7Zua8szDo2e1O7vAlHHatCfbcE4HCYRmyrvLvE_20U9G2LqM05PHaZk/s400/plantingtogether.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 19, 2011</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On March 19, 2011 the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, with an international team of 24 peace activists, planted 55 trees at a school in Kabul, Afghanistan. They did this to usher in the Afghan New Year, in hope for a new way of living, a non-violent way of rebuilding the country. The tree planting was part of AFPY’s 2001 project, Live without Wars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More information:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://livewithoutwars.org/">http:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">//<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">livewithoutwars</span>.org</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ourjourneytosmile.com/blog">http://<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ourjourneytosmile</span>.com/blog</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://globaldayoflistening.org/">http://<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">globaldayoflistening</span>.org</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A video of the tree planting is here:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xzcw9rA1mrc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-37871983956626773582011-03-19T09:09:00.000-07:002011-03-19T10:15:28.958-07:00Love and Courage Walk through Kabel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgzQPviadudYceG9ti4deeRcYFPmPnhmOxWUKqFnoDnUUuxOjX8X7AD8ad-CkxkljuREU93JRzPPvMojSaczKJfRvRKRGJl0vZzBKtkCo3Rp18YsNHwvVlSPzjVwaLgu2zl63sU5X9asN/s1600/thecitizensofAfgsaynotowar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgzQPviadudYceG9ti4deeRcYFPmPnhmOxWUKqFnoDnUUuxOjX8X7AD8ad-CkxkljuREU93JRzPPvMojSaczKJfRvRKRGJl0vZzBKtkCo3Rp18YsNHwvVlSPzjVwaLgu2zl63sU5X9asN/s640/thecitizensofAfgsaynotowar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 18, 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kabul—Dozens of Afghan young men and women walked through the streets of Kabus yesterday proclaiming their wish for a world without wars. Committed to principles of peace and non-violence they are members of a group they call Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers. The group has been involved in projects for about two years to bring greater understanding between those who live in war-torn countires and the rest of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their next project takes place today and tomorrow and is called Global Day of Listening. Global Day of listening is a day of live calls via Skype between these young people, youth from other war-torn nations and those from others nations not at war. To participate in these calls, go to <a href="http://www.globaldayoflistening.org/">www.globaldayoflistening.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A video of yesterday’s walk is below:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uedQzWck7xc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uedQzWck7xc</a></span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uedQzWck7xc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-41309496908510279452011-03-17T08:00:00.000-07:002011-03-17T08:03:25.117-07:00International Peacemakers gather in Kabul and Join Afghan Youth in a Solidarity Delegation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zIfMuT4Z45PEbc_H8HdVDxWoO8dRKQKdJglHsHwbp6kU2_g9I-C_VF8_MSuUJGHzwlJBeMr4N_StlYJfQCRO8kpkfOomu9mTYKNQFeLvYbvJP-uyvfg8JfT0kvKp7kYL1rwwYPICYSTK/s1600/youth+w+kathy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zIfMuT4Z45PEbc_H8HdVDxWoO8dRKQKdJglHsHwbp6kU2_g9I-C_VF8_MSuUJGHzwlJBeMr4N_StlYJfQCRO8kpkfOomu9mTYKNQFeLvYbvJP-uyvfg8JfT0kvKp7kYL1rwwYPICYSTK/s400/youth+w+kathy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo from a previous delegation.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Voices for Creative Nonviolence</span></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.vcnv.org/" title="http://www.vcnv.org/">www.vcnv.org</a></span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">March 17, 2011 </span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">Contact: </span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hakim in Afghanistan: (<a href="mailto:Weeteckyoung@gmail.com" title="mailto:Weeteckyoung@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;">Weeteckyoung@gmail.com</span></a>) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kathy Kelly in Afghanistan (93) 795590466 (<a href="mailto:Kathy@vcnv.org" title="mailto:Kathy@vcnv.org"><span style="color: blue;">Kathy@vcnv.org</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Joshua Brollier: 773.878.3815 (<a href="mailto:Joshua@vcnv.org" title="mailto:Joshua@vcnv.org"><span style="color: blue;">Joshua@vcnv.org</span></a>)</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kabul, Afghanistan--In a small gesture of solidarity, Voices for Creative Nonviolence co-coordinators assembled a peace delegation of 28 individuals that began arriving in Kabul, Afghanistan this morning. The group will spend a week with the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers (AYPVs) to show clear and strong support for these youth and their campaign- Live Without Wars. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The contingent will participate in a ceremonial Tree Planting and in the Afghan New Year's Day People's Peace Candle lighting in remembrance of those killed in wars. The Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers will also host the <i>Global Day of Listening </i>on March 20<sup>th.</sup> In this skype phone call, the AYPVs have invited the VCNV Spring Delegation to join them for the 24-hour conversation with people from every continent, including youth from Gaza, Iraq, and Egypt. <br />
<br />
The delegation, mostly from the U.S. includes three members from Australia, and a doctor from Germany. Each of these individuals is dedicated to walking with those enduring the ongoing war in Afghanistan. The following short biographies briefly introduce this highly dedicated group seeking to raise awareness about the human cost of the ongoing war and occupation: <a href="http://vcnv.org/biographies-of-participants" title="http://vcnv.org/biographies-of-participants"><span style="color: blue;">http://vcnv.org/biographies-of-participants</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To learn more about Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers and their campaign Live Without Wars, visit <a href="http://www.livewithoutwars.org/" title="http://www.livewithoutwars.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.livewithoutwars.org</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">Voices for Creative Nonviolence (</span></b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.vcnv.org/" title="http://www.vcnv.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.vcnv.org</span></a>) has deep, long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws from the experiences of those who challenged the brutal economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Members of Voices led over 70 delegations to Iraq to challenge the economic sanctions and were present in Baghdad in resistance the 2003 U.S. military invasion. Since 2009, Voices has led four delegations to Afghanistan and two to Pakistan to listen and learn from local grassroots movements and to raise awareness about the negative impacts of U.S. militarism in the region. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-39179707621608046982011-03-17T07:31:00.000-07:002011-03-17T07:46:56.498-07:00International Peace Delegation Assembles in Afghanistan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfer5dRrBqKAvIfGdK3sq0JIc0rCbza6wow-Q1AhLqYAeU0IfX8JJ7HQwrAxMP6l5h81ND7TJkt4gqxuOwtvHo1jZ3HCdcshnytSfeSLRCDbbFnF9f4OF9XBImO8hnnz97sKTt88iNZpp/s1600/a+green+moment+at+a+mosque.thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfer5dRrBqKAvIfGdK3sq0JIc0rCbza6wow-Q1AhLqYAeU0IfX8JJ7HQwrAxMP6l5h81ND7TJkt4gqxuOwtvHo1jZ3HCdcshnytSfeSLRCDbbFnF9f4OF9XBImO8hnnz97sKTt88iNZpp/s1600/a+green+moment+at+a+mosque.thumbnail.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">A team of international peacemakers are assembling in Kabul this week to meet with and support the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers in their project </span><a href="http://www.livewithoutwars.org/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Live Without Wars</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">. Brief biographies of the travelers may be read here: </span><b style="color: #0000cc; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://vcnv.org/biographies-of-participants" style="color: #0000cc; text-decoration: none;">http://vcnv.org/biographies-of-participants</a>.</b></span></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-6097172041342599912011-03-14T05:58:00.000-07:002011-03-14T05:58:50.855-07:00Listen to American Girl and Afghan Boy Speak for the First Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXUf89LazUa1cEhqJ1Wm39_RvDYCm7a8pe40b-fqoicQnoqq3MzBPqbeRSJtTwx0jJnpc-hvhefxORrinYfsMMmSOhoM0TWWPNrMs5_VjWpqEdQN2MGsBf_UK-mvGZazvQ-Nfl3AEcgad/s1600/Icannotwaittohaveteawithyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXUf89LazUa1cEhqJ1Wm39_RvDYCm7a8pe40b-fqoicQnoqq3MzBPqbeRSJtTwx0jJnpc-hvhefxORrinYfsMMmSOhoM0TWWPNrMs5_VjWpqEdQN2MGsBf_UK-mvGZazvQ-Nfl3AEcgad/s400/Icannotwaittohaveteawithyou.jpg" width="400" /></i></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>"I cannot wait to have tea with you!"</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two years ago, 14-year-old American girl Elisa and 13-year-old Afghan boy Abdulai began an email friendship after Elisa saw a You Tube video in which Abdulai described his wish to find love and truth in his life. Elisa wrote “…On our news channels they never show any of Afghanistan’s children speaking. This is the first time I have heard voices of the Afghan people and seen the beauty of Afghanistan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The friendship grew as Abdulai sought peace in the midst of war, and Elisa sought to do well in school, frequently sharing the hope that one day they would be able to drink tea together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come the 20th of March, 2011, on the Global Day of Listening, Elisa will speak via Skype to Abdulai for the first time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can share in this wonderful moment by joining Global Day of Listening. Global Day of listening will be a series of Skype calls in which anyone can participate in conversations with those living in war-torn countries. Go to Global Day of Listening’s web site, <a href="http://www.globaldayoflistening.org/">www.globaldayoflistening.org</a>, to make arrangements to join the calls.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Excerpts of some emails between Elisa and Abdulai</i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dear Abdulai,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I really enjoyed your video and all the videos from Our Journey To Smile. I am 14 years old from the United States and on our news channels they never show any of Afghanistan’s children speaking. This is the first time I have heard voices of the Afghan people and seen the beauty of Afghanistan. Someday, I wish I can travel to Bamiyan to see the beautiful place in these videos. Please keep smiling and never give up your hope, because all youth are the future of the world.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Peace be with you.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dear Elisa,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I was very happy to receive your letter. Thank you for enjoying the video. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I am about 13 years old. Afghan children, like myself, don’t know their dates of birth.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I hope that you will come to visit me in Bamiyan. I will serve you some black tea.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Take care and God bless you.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dear Abdulai,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I know you must be busy, thank you for taking the time to reply to me. I’m really glad to hear from you. Life in Afghanistan must be very different from life here in the United States. What do you like to do in your free time? In my free time I like to draw pictures or spend time with my mother.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Young people in the U.S. and in Afghanistan may have different lives, but I believe we can all be friends.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thank you for your hospitality and God bless you.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dear Elisa,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I have an exam now. I do not have a computer or internet. We only have 3 to 4 hours of electricity every night. Hakim helps me to send my emails.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I don’t do much in my free time. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Life is different but I think that humans everywhere are the same. I also believe that everyone can be friends.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Which grade are you in? I am in the 6th grade.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What do you want to be in the future?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I am very happy to have found a friend. Please keep in touch. Your friendship is important to me.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Say hello to your mother and all in your family!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Peace!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai, </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Never think that you can’t do something. Hold on to your dreams.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>It is very cold in the mountains in winter. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Life in Afghanistan is difficult now. There is war and corruption. Bamiyan is still good and beautiful.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>War is bad. I do not like war. I hope that the war will end.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I also do not like war. War can ruin a lot of good things. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Even if differences or fights divide people, there are still people who just want friendship and peace.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The situation in Afghanistan is bad now. It is not easy to find peace and friendship here.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Our government is corrupt. The people do not trust the government. The people do not trust foreigners too.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I feel very sad about Afghanistan’s situation now. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Many people here do not want soldiers to be in Afghanistan.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I am praying for peace too. I pray that the people who want to make conflict in the world will change their minds and open their hearts.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Now, I’ll do my best to teach my family and friends about how important friendship and understanding is on Earth.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>With all my heart, I hope people in Afghanistan will be able<br />
to trust again.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abdulai</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tea is my favorite, I saw some videos of you and other Peace volunteers drinking tea. My friend, it is a terrible feeling when you are trying to speak and no one can hear. We are children, our voices are so small. Sometimes students in my class talk about war. They see it on Television. They do not know the message of peace that you and your friends try to spread. Every time they speak about war- I try to spread your message of peace.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I will continue it, I know I am just one person, but I want to help you because you are my friend.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We are human, we must try our best. Don’t let go of your hope.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Take care :)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Your Friend,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Elisa</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> -------------</i></span></o:p></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></o:p></i></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Meet Abdulai in this video.</b></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_IVOgXAGL0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_IVOgXAGL0</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/B_IVOgXAGL0/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B_IVOgXAGL0&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B_IVOgXAGL0&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-10179378243693536012011-03-09T06:51:00.000-08:002011-03-09T13:26:13.840-08:00Afghan Peace Will NOT Come from the Powers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQIr4C7PHh7dBrEFZ-8TEYZoXnHXa39imFjmfH7qqrc_PG_kl6aXGuuDf14CaOMuXQi7ZnWzVd1HIGdg3WTNotROeQwvvofpHuijz3K0P7xfBIevdLKRcDn0jCqN8rGCq4Vnb8LE3R9n9/s1600/AfghanPeacewillnotcomefromthePowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQIr4C7PHh7dBrEFZ-8TEYZoXnHXa39imFjmfH7qqrc_PG_kl6aXGuuDf14CaOMuXQi7ZnWzVd1HIGdg3WTNotROeQwvvofpHuijz3K0P7xfBIevdLKRcDn0jCqN8rGCq4Vnb8LE3R9n9/s400/AfghanPeacewillnotcomefromthePowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers watch U.S. tanks near their homes.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>by Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AFGHANISTAN – Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers (AYPV) have released a new video titled, “Afghan Peace Will NOT Come from the Powers.” The video was produced as a response to the killing of the nine children in the Kunar Province in Afghanistan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The video may be viewed on AFPY’s Live without Wars home page at <a href="http://www.livewithoutwars.org/">www.livewithoutwars.org</a> or on YouTube at: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4KLgK8vkmU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4KLgK8vkmU</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers is a group of ordinary Afghan young people who have come together to encourage a non-violent response to war.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/X4KLgK8vkmU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-36192813198712606482011-03-09T04:35:00.000-08:002011-03-09T04:43:50.723-08:00The War is Killing Afghanistan's Children. Enough!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.4pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLtXOvWJaMS6wzR7WE6aIYuJPFmDtQ8YQDc9oFMfsRVIUMjtytSYN6yvptHgmKy-jY65SKLIPOy7m17h4gtZJbSSDSJcia6KmwXXI5P5FQdwkCRSQithl4qsDMkuSYY5egpEhQrA8TTPW/s1600/war+is+killing+children+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLtXOvWJaMS6wzR7WE6aIYuJPFmDtQ8YQDc9oFMfsRVIUMjtytSYN6yvptHgmKy-jY65SKLIPOy7m17h4gtZJbSSDSJcia6KmwXXI5P5FQdwkCRSQithl4qsDMkuSYY5egpEhQrA8TTPW/s400/war+is+killing+children+image.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Published on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 by <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/">CommonDreams.org</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Afghan Civilians Intentionally Targeted by NATO/ISAF Forces</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>by Afghans for Peace</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Careful examination of numerous reports, and images/video footage, along with eye-witness and victim testimonies, clarify that Afghan civilians are the main targets of deadly attacks by North Atlantic Treaty Organization <a href="http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/nato_countries.htm" target="_blank">(NATO) </a>and International Security Assistance Force<a href="http://www.isaf.nato.int/leadership.html" target="_blank">(ISAF)</a>. Although the Coalition forces claim that previous civilian massacres were accidental, Afghan-led peace movements believe that the killings are at best negligent to at worst intentional in nature.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foreign military presence and intervention in the past ten years has worsened the Afghanistan situation while civilian casualties have increasingly created tension between the Coaliton forces, the Afghan government, and the people of Afghanistan. These events have further brought into <a href="http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA11/001/2009/en/c588c2cf-9594-4024-8799-f27cab0aa91a/asa110012009en.html" target="_blank">perspective</a> the sheer human and material damages of the war. No one should become accustomed to or believe in this illogical method of bombing the country to peace. This mentality is not justifiable and should not be the norm. Acts of violence must always be questioned. The people of Afghanistan want justice and accountability. Not surprisingly, they get the usual response from NATO – an initial <a href="http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20110220/afghanistan-suicide-attack-110220/" target="_blank">denial</a> of civilian casualties, a shift of <a href="http://alethonewsa.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/killing-civilians-ducking-blame/" target="_blank">blame</a> on insurgency, occasional investigations with an admittance to a <a href="http://news.scotsman.com/afghanistan/Afghan-civilian-deaths-mystery-deepens.6442814.jp" target="_blank">tweaked</a> number of civilian deaths, and rarely a contrived <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704728004576176644160681276.html" target="_blank">apology</a>. This has become a wanton <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8xPRlBmbM" target="_blank">pattern</a>. Explaining away repeated deadly civilian attacks as “mistakes” is unacceptable. Furthermore, this proves that the military solution to Afghanistan is not a viable option.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NATO-led forces are equipped with the most <a href="http://www.sensorsinc.com/PGM.html" target="_blank">advanced technology</a> with the capability of zooming in on even the smallest of objects with precise vision. This begs the question as to why so many civilians are dying. To put it into perspective, below is a compiled short summary of recent NATO attacks:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was <a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2011/3/3/us_apologizes_to_afghan_people_for" target="_blank">reported</a> that a total of three civilian atrocities were committed by the Coalition forces within the last two weeks. The correct estimate is actually four.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alahsay district of Kapisa province (5 civilians) Feb 17, 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Khoygani District of Nangarhar province (6 civilians) Feb 20, 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ghazi Abad District of Kunar province (60+ civilians) Four Day Operation February 17/18/19 (different reports)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mountains of Nanglam in Kunar province (9 children/boys) March 1st, 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Kapisa province on Thursday February 17th, Alahsay district Governor Mohammed Omari confirmed that <a href="http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1621723.php/NATO-to-look-into-killings-of-five-Afghan-civilians-Roundup" target="_blank">five civilians were killed</a> by a air strke from the NATO-led ISAF. The five civilians- three of them adult males and two children ages 12 and 13 – were reportedly without meat for the last few months and were desperate to hunt, hence why they were carrying bird hunting equipment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Nangarhar province on February 20th, an <a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/afghan_civilian_casualties_nato_kabul_relations/2316060.html" target="_blank">entire family of six was killed</a> by a NATO air strike into their home in the Khoygani district. A photo captured by Reuters shows that the missile directly hit the <a href="http://www.daylife.com/photo/08JZb5e05ya79?q=nangarhar" target="_blank">roof</a> of the family’s home. The parents and their four children were all inside when the reportedly stray missile landed in their residential community. <a href="http://www.uruknet.info/?p=75212" target="_blank">The father was a soldier for the Afghan National Army</a> who died of excessive bleeding after troops delayed his arrival to a hospital.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXApN2K1yQfhWL4w2UC83D9eGm36m2CK0rUPrTE1wOFqa2BtNX5EOFYzQP-1XKgj67O1-f4VWzRLLUsUtKGKO1jIxBmpBx_eyIXUlOoDrsvkaXbAVsdcIDiripwuKxkUH5XJ2_kNSUI66-/s1600/war+is+killing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXApN2K1yQfhWL4w2UC83D9eGm36m2CK0rUPrTE1wOFqa2BtNX5EOFYzQP-1XKgj67O1-f4VWzRLLUsUtKGKO1jIxBmpBx_eyIXUlOoDrsvkaXbAVsdcIDiripwuKxkUH5XJ2_kNSUI66-/s1600/war+is+killing+2.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a four day operation by ISAF and NATO in Kunar province <a href="http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8310490-afghan-government-probe-confirms-nato-killed-65-in-kunar" target="_blank">over 65 civilians</a>. More than half of the casualties were women and children, and this was confirmed by the <a href="http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8248081-64-afghans-including-women-and-children-killed-in-kunar-province-governor" target="_blank">governor</a> of the province. Contrary to the abundant evidence, NATO claimed no civilians were killed and later insisted that insurgents were among the deceased, although villagers rejected this assertion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://e-ariana.com/ariana/eariana.nsf/allDocs/1BE50E781C498B538725784500707FE4?OpenDocument" target="_blank">Two reports</a> from the Afghan investigation team:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“As soon as the villagers heard the shooting and planes roaring overhead, they all struggled to take refuge in an old trench that was used by the mujahedeen during jihad [against the Russians].”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Those who succeeded in reaching the trenches were killed when the trench collapsed after it was hit by rockets or bombs being fired from coalition helicopters,” he said. “Those who were on their way to the trench were killed by rockets or bullets. I visited the trench. I saw old, dried blood. I saw women and children’s garments. I saw blood-stained walls of the trench. I saw pieces of blankets and cotton from the quilts the villagers wrapped themselves in because of the cold weather.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an attempt to hide the news story <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan/110228/nato-afghanistan-war-civilian-casualties-kunar" target="_blank">ISAF detained</a> two Al Jazeera journalists, Abdullah Nizami and Saeedullah Sahel. They were detained during the investigation of the Kunar massacre of over 65 civilians. Samer Alawi, the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Kabul, strongly described the detentions of Nizami and Seedullah as repressive acts since it kept them from reporting. Another <a href="http://www.cjr.org/cover_story/crossfire_in_kandahar.php?page=2" target="_blank">report</a> released this past month by Columbia Journalism Review, has documented the difficulty of reporting honest accounts of the Afghanistan war.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On March 1st, NATO helicopters<a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/03/gen-david-petraeus-apologizes-after-gunships-kill-9-afghan-chil/" target="_blank">killed 9 Afghan boys</a>, and injured one. This occurred without any warning signals as the children were targeted <a href="http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/8229-americas-most-recent-massacre-in-afghanistan-sorry-doesnt-make-it.html" target="_blank">“one after another</a>”. Aged seven to nine years old, the boys were from poor families, and were collecting firewood in the mountains. This is once again an <a href="http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/08/27/17596243.html" target="_blank">attack</a> on the young children of Kunar. How is it that NATO soldiers, again, confused children for insurgents, and this time by gunfire?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">General David H. Petraeus apologized for this killing, yet regarding the previous attack in Kunar (that killed over 65 civilians), he erroneously <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia/2011/03/2011339502683263.html" target="_blank">accused</a> the Afghan parents of intentionally burning their children due to cultural practices of discipline. Hamid Karzai’s spokesman Waheed Omar described the US Generals comments as being <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan/110228/nato-afghanistan-war-civilian-casualties-kunar" target="_blank">“outrageous, insulting and racist</a>.” Karzai, himself, has <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/03/201136104040802662.html" target="_blank">rejected</a> the apology. <a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/03/gen-david-petraeus-apologizes-after-gunships-kill-9-afghan-chil/" target="_blank">Mohammed Bismil</a>, the brother of two of the boys killed, did not care for Petraeus’ apology but said, “The only option I have is to pick up a Kalashnikov, RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] or a suicide vest to fight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The father of two of the boys killed <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYI0dRR6pd1KzCpOo3nRjPhtbq4g?docId=CNG.b56cef2e1a9915852221926863a725ed.5d1" target="_blank">cried</a>, “They don’t value humanity and don’t care about our children.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Waheed Mujda, an Afghan political analyst <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYI0dRR6pd1KzCpOo3nRjPhtbq4g?docId=CNG.b56cef2e1a9915852221926863a725ed.5d1" target="_blank">stated</a> that, “[for international forces], Afghan people’s blood is of no value. For the Americans, apologising for a mistake is a very big deal but for Afghans it is not. ISAF troop actions that raise anger among Afghans are a major reason for people joining the insurgents or Taliban.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are the four war crimes committed by the Coalition forces in the past two weeks. Victimization and the feeling of betrayal continues to spread all across Afghanistan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this article initially started on the four recent attacks by NATO, it is important to look at the previous events as well. In doing so, we realize that these are not isolated incidents or simply negligence but an ongoing pattern of the failures of the “military solution to Afghanistan”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apologies from the Coalition, as rare as they are, mean little to nothing to Afghans. Months earlier in 2010, after initially choosing not to investigate, NATO forces offered an apology for killing a fourteen year old girl. Her father Mohammad Karim simply <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2011917,00.html" target="_blank">responded</a>, “Now, what should I do with ‘sorry’?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier in Nangarhar, in May 2010, when NATO soldiers raided a home <a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/17/afghans_protest_deadly_nighttime_raid_if" target="_blank">shooting at least nine civilians</a> indiscriminately, a mourner said:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“If the Americans do this again, we are ready to shed our blood fighting them. We would rather die than sit by and do nothing. If there was anyone here trying to destroy our country, we would capture them and hand them over to the government. It is our land and our duty to defend it against both foreigners and insurgent infiltrators.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He spoke further on this by saying, “If the military keeps doing this, the people will go into the mountains to fight them. When I saw my daughter injured, all I could think about was putting on a suicide jacket.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAENQelK3W8AVdVbmi-ad6iPCLRHJ_Y9TANjvXQFFqedOHR1AiohMHSdD06SBmEwZ-W9mibNoxwXv-qPdBxXmaUFB5jkDJd4E3rI8VOLVO1PbEdoJ55iv_1ZgEuAWxfKs_QZ48BI1GXudi/s1600/war+is+killing+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAENQelK3W8AVdVbmi-ad6iPCLRHJ_Y9TANjvXQFFqedOHR1AiohMHSdD06SBmEwZ-W9mibNoxwXv-qPdBxXmaUFB5jkDJd4E3rI8VOLVO1PbEdoJ55iv_1ZgEuAWxfKs_QZ48BI1GXudi/s400/war+is+killing+3.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last month was the one year anniversary of the killing of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/29/caught-on-video-moments-b_n_557675.html" target="_blank">two pregnant mothers, men and a teenage girl</a> by a NATO night raid. In an attempt to cover it up, the US forces literally <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7087637.ece" target="_blank">dug the bullets out</a> of the victims bodies. In a Democracy Now interview Glenn Greenwald <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6INuKcU6v1U&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">said</a>, “Here you have an incident that we know about only because of sheer luck with the determination of a single reporter, and again the military lying about what took place.” A recent report on survivors of night raids gives a close look at how foreign troops justify killing civilians. One witness of night raids, Anwar Ul Haq, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/us-afghanistan-raids-quotes-idUSTRE71N16K20110224" target="_blank">said</a>,“Whenever they shoot or kill anybody, they call him al Qaeda whether he is or not.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Without regard for civilians, the <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/01/25-tons-of-bombs-wipes-afghan-town-off-the-map/" target="_blank">Tarok Kolache</a> village in Afghanistan’s Arghandab River Valley was completely destroyed with 25 tons of bombs. Is the destruction of entire villages, which are the support system for the majority of Afghans, a logical tactic in counter-insurgency? Clearly, the Afghans who have suffered due to this disagree. A farmer of the Arghandab district <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/19-11" target="_blank">asked</a> “Why do you have to blow up so many of our fields and homes?”, while one angry villager accused the military of ruining his life after the demolition.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to witness and victim testimonies, the Coalition forces themselves have made eye-opening revelations on the target killings of civilians. In September 2010, it was revealed that a dozen US soldiers faced <a href="http://www.countercurrents.org/martin100910.htm" target="_blank">charges</a> in their involvement of not only killing innocent Afghan civilians at random for sport, but also collecting the victims finger bones, leg bones, teeth, and skulls as trophies. The military refuses to release <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39465612/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/" target="_blank">photos</a> that show US soldiers posing with <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2025091,00.html" target="_blank">naked, mutilated and charred </a>corpses of their victims. Sound <a href="http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/multimedia/2008/02/gallery_abu_ghraib" target="_blank">familiar</a>? The father of one of the victims killed was quoted as <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2025091,00.html" target="_blank">saying</a>, “The Americans really love to kill innocent people.”In fact, they had planned on killing more civilians had it not been for one soldier, Spc. Adam Winfield, and his father who tried relentlessly to blow the whistle. He had <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012856301_stryker10m.html" target="_blank">said</a> his squad leader “gives high-fives to the guy who kills innocent people and plans more with him.- I have proof that they are planning another one in the form of an AK-47 (machine gun) they want to drop on another guy.” Instead of honoring Winfield for exposing the truth, he was instead charged with the same crimes. His father had reported Winfeld’s statements to Army officials, but they turned a <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012856301_stryker10m.html" target="_blank">blind eye</a>. One can’t help but to wonder whether the killing of civilians for sport is more abhorrent or the apparent negligence and silence by the higher ups in the Armed forces.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of higher ups in the Armed forces, General Mattis, who replaced Petreaus as chief of US Central Command, <a href="http://afpakwar.com/blog/archives/6348" target="_blank">said</a> “Its fun to kill people…it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot [Afghans].” He continued: “Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. You know, it’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.” A bit later he spoke of the “emotional satisfaction you may get from really whacking somebody.”‘ He reportedly even told his troops to “have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afghans have been <a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010/11/23/story_23-11-2010_pg14_12" target="_blank">resisting</a> this dehumanizing way of life where they are regarded as<a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/12/201012253539228197.html" target="_blank">savages</a> or merely objects to be killed for sport. A recent <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/06-0" target="_blank">poll</a> conducted in Afghanistan shows that more than half of the Afghans interviewed believed NATO-led forces should begin withdrawing from the country in mid-2011 or sooner. Afghans <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCCYJwLw3ik&feature=fvsr" target="_blank">no longer want anything</a> from NATO but to simply leave. Massive protests and <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia/2011/03/2011339502683263.html" target="_blank">demonstrations</a> against the Coalition following recent attacks are now erupting throughout Afghanistan in cities like <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/06-0" target="_blank">Kunar</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hXU6_N7aTwdO-eCCw9LhkVlBca5w?docId=CNG.b56cef2e1a9915852221926863a725ed.851" target="_blank">Kabul city</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/world/asia/03afghan.html" target="_blank">Nanglam</a>, where Afghan demonstrators have been marching in streets <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/06-0" target="_blank">chanting</a>,“death to the invaders” and “We don’t want the invading forces.” Another man explained, “We say to ISAF that revenge is part of our culture. We say to our leaders, our government, that this kind of violence should be investigated. Those responsible should be punished.” A woman held a placard that <a href="http://www.daylife.com/photo/0geb7IP8e20i3?q=afghans">read</a>, “Occupation = Killing + Destruction.” In one demonstration, angry protesters <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5jGVX_0nC90rra90EolDVAbaJ4g5Q?docId=9254538e13ae4bc5864638184b71d599&index=0" target="_blank">burned</a> a pile of blankets, clothing, and other items donated by Coaltion troops. An independent member in the legislature, Ramazan Bashardost, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41871420/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/" target="_blank">said</a> “These killings must be stopped or the people will rise against foreigners and we will stand by them.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d_bF6SULnjkfMhFXKDYWYGEmXVhAPAxENHgtT62UaNXm-2sbfBbd8Anb4wShl88vhstOwhVv033FiRoAi5ZZf4xLPtlj2szxTnXqLw8Fssm6tEAUIiJeMqdIybEjefeVjT2L4lnyT0Qj/s1600/war+is+killing+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d_bF6SULnjkfMhFXKDYWYGEmXVhAPAxENHgtT62UaNXm-2sbfBbd8Anb4wShl88vhstOwhVv033FiRoAi5ZZf4xLPtlj2szxTnXqLw8Fssm6tEAUIiJeMqdIybEjefeVjT2L4lnyT0Qj/s400/war+is+killing+4.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Civilians fear not only NATO and ISAF but also suicide bombings by Armed Opposition Groups. Simultaneously with the terror by Coalition forces, recent suicide blasts have taken the lives of around <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110224/wl_asia_afp/afghanistanunrestsouth_20110224173119" target="_blank">100 Afghan civilians</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The almost decade long war and occupation has done more harm than good, escalating violence in Afghanistan to its peak, and continues to deteriorate chances of peace for the future. Afghanistan has already been subjected to previous decades of war and now each new generation is haunted with both the memory and reality of endless bloodshed, death, and misery. The fact remains that Afghans continue to live with <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/15/us-afghanistan-icrc-idUSTRE6BE2LJ20101215?WT.tsrc=Social%20Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_%20com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter" target="_blank">hunger and worsening poverty</a>,<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/27/AR2009112703438.html" target="_blank">torture</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v-TUNwFU4M&feature=player_embedded#at=39" target="_blank">humiliation</a>, <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/07/v-print/103325/news-on-the-usfghan-body-parts.html" target="_blank">planted</a> with weapons, escalating <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/bombs-away-afghan-air-war-peaks-with-1000-strikes-in-october/" target="_blank">air strikes</a> and <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/us-afghanistan-raids-quotes-idUSTRE71N16K20110224" target="_blank">night raids</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The responsibility lies on the Afghan government, Taliban, warlords, and especially NATO/ISAF forces, including top commanders like General Petreaus, who must be brought by the people of Afghanistan and the world through a judicial process to account for their crimes, failed military solutions, and indiscriminate killings. Instead, the corrupt system in power continues to leave Afghans <a href="http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/24/desperate-women-burn-themselves/">helpless</a> and without a voice, and has them convinced that they are incapable of self-determination. However, it must not be forgotten that Afghanistan has a long history of independence and are more than capable of running their affairs. It is vitally important to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-kelly/we-want-you-out_b_796895.html" target="_blank">listen</a> to Afghans. It is the right of the people to decide the fate of their country and there are no exceptions. With the recent revolts in Arab countries, it’s only a matter of time before Afghans follow their lead. This requires immediate change and an honest vision for a truly democratic Afghanistan. In doing so, we must be aware of the ground realities, namely the presence of NATO, Taliban, warlords as well as regional intervention.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Global Afghan-led peace groups such as Afghans for Peace (AFP), Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers (AYPV), and the Afghan Canadian Student Association (ACSA) stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan in their struggle for justice and freedom. They fully acknowledge and strongly condemn these cruel, targeted massacres of innocent human life. AFP, AYPV and ACSA calls on the people of the world, especially Afghans, to rightfully demand an end to this <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/12/21" target="_blank">illegal </a>war and occupation. When children are being killed one by one, as was the case in Kunar last week, all of humanity suffers. When civilians have become the targets, it is time for everyone to stand up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Signed by:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://afghansforpeace.org/">Afghans for Peace</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youthpeacevolunteers.org/">Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48755781436">Afghan Canadian Student Association</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Afghans for Peace (AFP) is an alliance of Afghans from various ethnic, religious, socio-economic, cultural, and political backgrounds with a united vision for a democratic, all inclusive, just and peaceful Afghanistan. AFP consists of students, professionals, community leaders, and socio-politically aware activists.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://globaldayoflistening.org/" target="_blank">Global Day of Listening about the wish to “live without wars”</a>, March 19-20, will be a time for Afghans, Iraqis, Egyptians, Americans, Canadians, and people from every continent to hear what it is like to live in the middle of wars.<br />
<br />
A global protest against the war in Afghanistan will be held this<a href="http://nepajac.org/Apri9Endorse.htm" target="_blank"> April 9th and 10th</a> 2011. Contact your local anti-war group for more information.</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-91141973038298058782011-03-08T02:00:00.000-08:002011-03-08T02:00:29.607-08:00Failing in Afghanistan successfully<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100.0%;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-EycrYbMXNxyeKIuwYw9hzjSY9Gl9r1BV2mOj22DegFd0XWNUgHbCqtoyguzIsELd5t4fbT97LL5vBERkSCGyWjdUHDVXD4_8yWA9AskiqYi2XX98DegAp6GHJmV0vTIj60QtGOWpZy7/s1600/al+jazeera+photo+nine+children+protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-EycrYbMXNxyeKIuwYw9hzjSY9Gl9r1BV2mOj22DegFd0XWNUgHbCqtoyguzIsELd5t4fbT97LL5vBERkSCGyWjdUHDVXD4_8yWA9AskiqYi2XX98DegAp6GHJmV0vTIj60QtGOWpZy7/s640/al+jazeera+photo+nine+children+protest.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The recent killing of nine Afghan children has put the spotlight on the US military's new aggressive methods [AFP]</i></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Despite hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of troops, the US is unable to conclude its longest war.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>By Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera Senior Political Analyst</i></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100.0%;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"> <div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While we have been fixated on successive Arab breakthroughs and victories against tyranny and extremism, Washington is failing miserably but discreetly in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
The American media's one-obsession-at-a-time coverage of global affairs might have put the spotlight on President Obama's slow and poor reaction to the breathtaking developments starting in Tunisia and Egypt. But they spared him embarrassing questions about continued escalation and deaths in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
In spite of its international coalition, multiple strategies, hundreds of billions of dollars, and a surge of tens of thousands of troops, the US is unable to conclude its longest war yet or at least reverse its trend.<br />
<br />
Recent "reports" from the war front have been of two kinds. Some official or analytical in nature and heavily circulated in Washington portray a war going terribly well. On the other hand, hard news from the ground tell a story of US fatigue, backtracking and tactical withdrawals or redeployments which do not bode well for defeating the Taliban or forcing them to the negotiations' table.<br />
<br />
For example, while the US military's decision to withdraw from the Pech valley was justified on tactical need to redeploy troops for the task of "protecting the population", keen observers saw it as a humiliating retreat from what the Pentagon previously called a very strategic position and sacrificed some hundred soldiers defending it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Likewise, strategic analysts close to the administration speak triumphantly of US surge and hi-tech firepower inflicting terrible cost on the Taliban, killing many insurgents and driving many more from their sanctuaries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But news from the war front show the Taliban unrelenting, mounting counterattacks and escalating the war especially in areas where the US has "surged" its troops. And while the majority of the 400 Afghan districts are "calmer", they remain mostly out of Kabul's control.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What success?</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those with relatively long memories recall the then defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld's claims that most of Afghanistan was secure in early 2003 and that American forces had changed their strategy from major combat operations to stabilisation and reconstruction project.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the Taliban continued to carry daily attacks on government buildings, US positions and international organisations. Two years later, the US was to suffer the worst and deadliest year since the war began.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's war pundits are in the same state of denial. For all practical purpose, Washington has given up on its counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy devised under McChrystal and Petreaus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead, it is pursuing a heavy handed and terribly destructive crackdown that includes special operations, assassinations, mass demolitions, air and night raids etc that have led to anything but winning the country, let alone its hearts and minds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The killing of nine Afghan children last week - all under the age of 12 - by US attack helicopters has once again put the spotlight on the US military's new aggressive methods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The results are so devastating for the conduct of the war and to Washington's clients, that President Karzai not only distanced himself from the US methods, but also publicly rejected Washington's apology for the killings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nor is the recruitment and training of the Afghan forces going well. Indeed, many seem to give up on the idea that Afghan security forces could take matters into their hands if the US withdraws in the foreseeable future.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worse, US strategic co-operation with Pakistan - the central pillar of Obama's PakAf strategy - has cooled after the arrest of a CIA contractor for the killing of two Pakistanis even though he presumably enjoys diplomatic immunity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reportedly, it has also led to a "breakdown" in co-ordination between the two countries intelligence agencies, the CIA and the ISI.<br />
<br />
But the incident is merely a symptom of a bigger problem between the two countries. A reluctant partner, the Pakistani establishment and its military are unhappy with US strategy which they reckon could destabilise their country and strengthen Afghanistan and India at their expense.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That has not deterred Washington from offering ideas and money to repair the damage. However, it has become clear that unlike in recent years, future improvement in their bilateral relations will most probably come as a result of the US edging closer to Pakistan's position, not the opposite.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of which makes one wonder why certain Washington circles are rushing to advance the "success story".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Running out of options</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Afghan government' incapability to take on the tasks of governing or securing the country beyond the capital, and the incapacity of the Obama administration to break the Taliban's momentum does not bode well for an early conclusion of the war.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To their credit some of Obama's war and surge supporters realise that there is no military solution for Afghanistan. Clearly, their claims of battlefield successes help justify the rush to talk to the Taliban.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But it is not yet clear whether the presumably ongoing exploratory secret negotiations with the Taliban are serious at all, or will lead to comprehensive negotiations and eventually a lasting deal. The last "Taliban commander" Washington dialogued with in the fall turned out to be an impostor - a shopkeeper from Quetta!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the Taliban does eventually accept to sit down with Obama or Karzai envoys, the US needs to explain why it fought for 10 years only to help the group back to power.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secretary of state Hillary Clinton has begun the humiliating backtracking last month: "Now, I know that reconciling with an adversary that can be as brutal as the Taliban sounds distasteful, even unimaginable. And diplomacy would be easy if we only had to talk to our friends. But that is not how one makes peace."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Facing up to the reality</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mere fact that the world's mightiest superpower cannot win over the poorly armed Taliban after a long decade of fighting, means it has already failed strategically, regardless of the final outcome.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The escalation of violence and wasting billions more cannot change that. It is history. The quicker the Obama administration recognises its misfortunes, minimises its losses and convenes a regional conference over the future of Afghanistan under UN auspices, the easier it will be to evacuate without humiliation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether the US eventually loses the war and declares victory; negotiates a settlement and withdraw its troops, remains to be seen. What is incontestable is that when you fight the week for too long, you also become weak.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of which explains the rather blunt comments made in a speech at the end of February, by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates when he said "... any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should 'have his head examined,' as General MacArthur so delicately put it."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>This column originally appeared on Al Jazeera English: <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/20113718714585594.html">http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/20113718714585594.html</a></i></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-19556892918412816432011-03-07T05:26:00.000-08:002011-03-07T05:26:42.782-08:00Names of Boys in US March 1 Raid<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TAeH-P5b2AABI3yZBCnWWJom0PihTpK5RrqzvnSxkVB5rRskdINUdalO2cfgzI3pHUDK4MluAl4RkZXJPIJydC7FWp3x2IMPxzKZQD4Y3UrufIaCdMPIYdy6G_j88rlV_Tes5mF5EDWn/s1600/injured+child+in+raid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TAeH-P5b2AABI3yZBCnWWJom0PihTpK5RrqzvnSxkVB5rRskdINUdalO2cfgzI3pHUDK4MluAl4RkZXJPIJydC7FWp3x2IMPxzKZQD4Y3UrufIaCdMPIYdy6G_j88rlV_Tes5mF5EDWn/s1600/injured+child+in+raid.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>The boy injured in the raid. Photo courtesy of RAWA News</i></span>.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">KABUL - The names of nine boys killed by US coalition troops in Afghanistan were released yesterday, March 6, 2011. The names and ages of the boys are:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 13-year-old Khalid son of Bismillah<br />
10-year-old Abid son of Bismillah<br />
10-year-old Khalid son of Ahmad Khan<br />
12-year-old Zialrahman son of Nisbah<br />
11-year-old Jawad son of Sabhanullah<br />
11-year-old Ihsanullah son of Sabhanullah<br />
7-year-old Shahidullah son of Rahman<br />
11-year-old Jawed son of Wali Mohammad<br />
10-year-old Umra Khan son of Safiullah<br />
<br />
No other information about the boys or their families is available at this time. A tenth child, 10-year-old Umad son of Shir Mohammad, is listed as injured. His condition is not known.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Troops in attack helicopters that belong to the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan killed the boys Tuesday, March 1, with machine-gun and rocket fire. The boys were collecting firewood in the Pech Valley in Kunar Province at 11:30 a.m. local time Tuesday when they were targeted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, has said the killings were an error and that the boys were mistaken for Taliban insurgents.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5201715284176690583.post-17858637264440506192011-03-05T04:36:00.000-08:002011-03-05T05:27:21.478-08:00Local inquiry team: NATO killed 65 civilians in Afghan operation<div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUnF7z5JiNXNolzBA1vuoik4A7RPDSYFf38YgG46ohh3f0NzG7X34UTA0V1U4g5nM2REsJFkzD2ciabHSulqERjAirVle44fNC9orZ3gnAti2Irwli2UErslR12_dLRP5WIg_Xn1XX4yD/s640/73459971-boy-injured.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="newEventMediaWidget" id="newEventMediaWidgetTemp" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; clear: both; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; width: 611px;"><div class="imgSummary centerText" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; float: left; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: relative; text-align: left; width: 611px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A boy, injured during a NATO air strike, lies on a hospital bed in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February 27, 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kabul - An Afghan delegation tasked by President Hamid Karzai to probe a NATO operation said to have resulted in civilian causalities said Sunday it has found that attacks by the alliance killed more than five dozen people in eastern Afghanistan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"After four days of discussions and interviews with tribal leaders, security officials and other civilians, we found that 65 civilians were killed by NATO missiles in Ghazi Abad district of Kunar province," Shahzada Masood, who headed the delegation, told the German Press Agency dpa.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said 19 girls ranging in age from 7 months to 18 years were among the dead, along with 21 teenage boys.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Ten women and 15 elder men were also martyred in the incident," he added.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the civilians were killed during an air strike on a remote village near the Pakistan border, where NATO planes mistook them for insurgents, Masood said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NATO has launched its own inquiry, dispatching an incident assessment team to Kunar province. Their findings have yet to be announced, but Masood pointed to an already existing disagreement.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Coalition forces agreed with us on the incident of civilians causalities, but they did not agree with the statistics," he said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The report of the Afghan inquiry team was submitted to the presidential palace on Sunday. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A week earlier, Karzai had condemned the attack and said he had instructed security authorities to once again discuss civilian causalities with NATO forces.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nearly 150,000 international forces are currently fighting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afghanistan Rights Monitor, a human rights group in Kabul, said in a report earlier this month that US and NATO forces were responsible for 512 civilian deaths in 2010, with at least 217 civilians killed in air strikes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>The source for this report is found at: <a href="http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1622330.php/Local-inquiry-team-NATO-killed-65-civilians-in-Afghan-operation">http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/southasia/news/article_1622330.php/Local-inquiry-team-NATO-killed-65-civilians-in-Afghan-operation</a></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>The photo at the top is this story is from: <a href="http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8298454-afghanistan-nato-accused-of-killing-65-civilians">http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8298454-afghanistan-nato-accused-of-killing-65-civilians</a></i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Editorials and Commentaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02518238697545608923noreply@blogger.com2