Afghanistan Hearts-and-Minds Update: We're Sorry (But We Didn't Kill That Many of You)

New York Times, 20 May: "Acknowledging the pain inflicted on the Afghan people by American airpower, [US Ambassador to Afghanistan] General [Karl] Eikenberry...called the May 4 aerial bombardment in Bala Baluk district a tragedy and pledged to sharply reduce the chances of civilian casualties in future operations."

CNN, 20 May: "U.S. airstrikes in western Afghanistan this month killed up to 65 Taliban insurgents and 30 Afghan civilians, according to interim results of a military investigation released Wednesday. The civilian deaths were 'most likely' accidental, a U.S. military source told CNN."

Reuters, 20 May: A NATO-led air raid may have killed eight civilians in Afghanistan, the alliance said on Wednesday.

Afghanistan Civilian Casualties: Did the US Use White Phosphorous Last Week?

The Reuters report came through yesterday morning, five days after the mass killing of civilians (100? 120? 130? 150?) in the Farah area of western Afghanistan. According to Nader Nadery, an official with an Afghanistan human rights commission: "Doctors who had treated victims from the incident had reported strange burns they believed may have been caused by a chemical like white phosphorus."

The US military moved quickly to deny the claim, adding the implication that maybe it was the Taliban who were dropping white phosphorous from the sky. Colonel Greg Julian said, ""There was no smoke or illum (illumination) used in Farah. I can't say whether the insurgents used it, but we certainly didn't."

This incident is part of a wider, evolving story. Nadery said the human rights commission had been alerted to the possibility of white phosphorous because of a Reuters report last week of a young girl burned by the substance in Kapisa province, the first account of the use of WP. The US military countered with claims of four other incidents in which the Taliban had used mortars with white phosphorus.

The significance of this development may not be "proof" that the US military has used white phosphorous --- which can legally be dropped in open spaces, but not in built-up areas with civilians --- but the perception that it has. There were demonstrations in Kabul yesterday, led by university students, over the latest bombings.