McChrystal Looks to Spin Afghan Civilian Deaths Problem by Gareth Porter

McChrystal Looks to Spin Afghan Civilian Deaths Problem

by Gareth Porter / June 22nd, 2009 (3)

WASHINGTON — At his confirmation hearings two weeks ago, Gen. Stanley McChrystal said reducing civilian deaths from air strikes in Afghanistan was “strategically decisive” and declared his “willingness to operate in ways that minimize casualties or damage, even when it makes our task more difficult.”

Some McChrystal supporters hope he will rein in the main source of civilian casualties: Special Operations Forces (SOF) units that carry out targeted strikes against suspected “Taliban” on the basis of doubtful intelligence and raids that require air strikes when they get into trouble.

But there are growing indications that his command is preparing to deal with …
(Full article …) http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/06/mcchrystal-looks-to-spin-afghan-civilian-deaths-problem/