U.S. civilian kills Afghan after fire attack

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

KABUL, Nov 4 (Reuters) - A U.S. civilian shot dead an Afghan civilian who tried to set fire to another American on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

...

The shooting occurred after an altercation, a U.S. military statement said.

"Reports indicate the local national was shot after pouring and igniting a flammable liquid on another U.S. civilian. The civilian sustained serious burns and was transported to the nearest coalition forces medical facility for treatment," it said.

Taliban insurgents said children had poured petrol on a female foreign soldier and set fire to her while she was searching homes in the town of Maiwand in the southern province of Kandahar.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL399598.htm

[billyoc]

1. Things are going well, I see.

:scared:

[thunder rising]

2. Question: WTF are civilians doing searching homes? Do we hav a military or are we totally mercenary

This is one screwed up report ... a lot of miscommunication means somebody is lying.

I guess there is one fact. An Afghan is dead.

[winter999]

3. There is a second fact...

A female U.S. citizen was set on fire.

[thunder rising]

6. Who was apparently given authority (as a civilian) to search a house.

[superconnected]

8. They said "tried to set on fire"

Regardless, the cowboy mercenary mentality probably has a lot to do with why afgans would set americans on fire.

[14thColony]

5. Poorly written Reuters article

But it appears to be two different events. In one the soldier searching homes clearly died (according to the Taliban that is) while in the other the civilian survived and went for medical attention.

I gotta say though if someone was pouring gas on a friend of mine and getting out the lighter, I'd be hard pressed not to shoot to kill. Burning to death is not a way anyone should ever have to go, no matter who they are.

[SweetStephanie]

4. hate this happen

hate this happen

[aldroud]

7. She is a friend of mine, I know her personally

Here's the truth of the mattter. She has been working in Afghanistan in various capacities with NGOs since 2002. Currently, she has been working under a program aimed at bringing anthropological and sociological understanding to the Coalition forces so we can reduce the amount of violence in Afghanistan.

She refused the offer of a weapon for personal protection. She felt it would create a barrier to conversation with the people she met. Her companion was armed and she was escorted by a military protective detail. In the course of conversation with a local farmer, he suddenly flung fuel oil over her and set her aflame.

To dispel rumors or innuendo: she was NOT searching homes. She was not armed. She did not have ammunition on her body. She was not attacked by children. ALL these are coming from Taliban sources and are verifiably false.

We're all praying for her.

[struggle4progress]

9. IIRC the Bush administration insisted early in the Afghan war that all NGOs

must coordinate very closely with the military coalition, with the result that a number of NGOs decided that locals would be unlikely to distinguish from military personal and therefore NGO personnel would be at such risk that the NGOs could not effectively perform their missions: consequently, a number of relief organizations pulled out of Afghanistan

I hope your friend is OK. For which NGO does she work?