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U.S.TROOPS LOSE PROPAGANDA WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

by The Anglo American | September 27, 2007 at 02:48 am

3580 views | 7 Recommendations | 3 comments

This story shows just how difficult it is for any military to fight terrorism in a civilian theater of war and keep the support of the people they are defending. And it is a story that is repeated throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, as well as in the history N. Ireland and Vietnam.

U.S. troops opened fire on civilians near the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Thursday after a failed suicide car bomb attack on their convoy, a Reuters witness said

Here is a perfect illistration of how easy it is to lose the propaganda war. Military professionalism is not at fault, but it is such a blunt instrument when it comes into contact with civilians - and things go wrong....

The witness said three suicide bombers in one vehicle attacked a convoy of U.S. troops in the village of Bati Kot, 15 km (9 miles) east of Jalalabad, but none of the soldiers was hurt.

As the fire brigade arived, the fire engine suffered brake failure and rammed into convoy as well....

"I saw everything," said Reuters correspondent Noor Mohammad Sherzai. "I saw the suicide bomb attack ...

"I saw the fire brigade vehicle rushing to the area at top speed, somehow its brakes failed, then the Americans started firing at the people and everyone lay flat on the ground and then fled the area."

A number of people were wounded and taken away by ambulance. It is difficult to pass any judgement on the troops reaction to what was a very unfortunate set of circumstances. With such mayhem around them, their instinct would be to come out firing, with little choice, to save themselves.

However, "the story" is not the "suicide bomber attack", but the "US troops opening fire on civilians." The Taliban claimed responsibility and no doubt, the propaganda victory as well.

No one can envy the tasks that face the modern soldier.

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Tom van B

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:59 on September 27th, 2007

The Anglo American, I am probably a daft idiot, but I firmly believe that these wars are used and seen by many nations as training and learning grounds. Why use precious space in Holland (all that noise) when you can do your learning and training in Afghanistan or Iraq. Good stuff.

The Anglo American

at 01:16 on September 28th, 2007

Well the term I was trying to avoid is winning hearts and minds. I have seen footage of American soldiers in their early 20's negotiating with war lords and keeping the peace. Its quite impressive since they have no training in diplomacy to do this - let alone any great experience of life. There is a contradiction here. If an army becomes a branch of social work then how can they be an effective combat unit? No miltary training is addressing this. How can it? These blunt instruments are not effective in establishing peace when they interact with civilians. Terrorism exploits this. NATO/US forces are doing the job of politicians in the absence of strong political will or leadership -or support!