'Een Amerikaanse militair schreeuwt terwijl hij dekking zoek en een Afghaanse vader met zijn kind probeert te beschermen,' althans zo beweert de NRC.
Dit schreef ik vanochtend over de NRC-propaganda:
Let u ook op deze propagandistische voorstelling van zaken: 'Veel inwoners van Marjah hebben het plaatsje de afgelopen weken al verlaten, nadat Amerikaanse vliegtuigen pamfletten hadden uitgeworpen om te waarschuwen voor het aanstaande offensief.' Wat bedoelt de NRC met het woordje 'al'? 'AL'? Wat is dit voor nonsens, er wordt zwaar gevochten, zo zwaar dat de NAVO juichend bekend maakt dat er sprake is van een 'groot succes'. Als er nog burgers zijn die gevaar lopen, zoals we kennelijk op de foto kunnen zien, dan kan een journalist toch niet met goed fatsoen stellen dat de anderen het plaatsje 'al' verlaten hebben. Degenen die niet zijn vertrokken, verkeren -- net zoals het geval was in Fallujah -- in levensgevaar. Die burgers zitten in de val. Degenen die wisten te ontsnappen, hebben de plaats niet 'al' verlaten, maar deden dit op het laatste nippertje. Bovendien, waarom valt het de NRC niet op dat de NAVO kennelijk een zware aanval is begonnen terwijl niet alle burgers daar zijn verdwenen. Dat is op zijn minst toch verdacht, aangezien de NAVO claimt dat het de opstandelingen bestrijdt om zo de bevolking te bevrijden. Maar als die bevolking zelf het doelwit wordt van westers geweld dan is dit in strijd met het internationaal recht. Schrijf daar eens over collega's bij de slijpsteen voor de geest. Of zijn jullie te onnozel om jullie eigen paradoxale berichtgeving te analyseren? Denken jullie werkelijk dat al jullie lezers even naief zijn als jullie?
De Nuance van de NRC? Een kwaliteitskrant? Ordinaire propaganda van een stelletje tweedeklas journalisten van wie de krant streeft naar maximale verkoopcijfers. Nu het echte nieuws uit de grote mensen wereld:
NATO Strike Misses Target, Kills 12 Afghan Civilians
Updated: 1 hour 26 minutes ago
CNN
MARJAH, Afghanistan (Feb. 14) -- A major anti-Taliban assault by thousands of NATO-led troops in southern Afghanistan entered its second day Sunday with fierce fighting, strong resistance from militants and civilian casualties.
Twelve Afghan civilians died when two rockets fired by coalition forces missed their intended target in the Nad Ali district of Helmand Province, where the offensive is taking place, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.
"We deeply regret this tragic loss of life," ISAF Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal said in a statement. "The current operation in Central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan. It's regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost."
Officials said they did not know how many Taliban fighters remained in the Marjah region of Helmand province but think they may be in the hundreds -- some of whom are holed up in civilian compounds.
The Taliban spokesman for the Marjah area claimed six Taliban casualties and said militants had killed 192 Afghan and coaltion troops.
In the past, the Taliban has often inflated casualty fighures.
"NATO forces have not captured any areas in Marjah from the Mujahadeen," said Qari Yousif Ahmadi, the Taliban spokesman.
Dubbed Operation Moshtarak, the offensive was launched early Saturday by an international coalition of 15,000 troops including Afghans, Americans, Britons, Canadians, Danes and Estonians.
Hours into the offensive, a U.S. Marine was killed by small-arms fire and a British soldier was killed in an explosion, according to a U.S. military official.
Soldiers also found a weapons cache in the Nad Ali district that included two 155 mm artillery rounds, four pressure plates, blasting caps and batteries, according to the International Security Assistance Force.
"The Taliban appear confused and disoriented," said Maj. Gen. Gordon Messenger, a British military spokesman. However, he tempered his optimism with the reminder that the operation was not over.
Long a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment and awash with the opium used to fund the insurgency, the Marjah region has been known as the heroin breadbasket of Afghanistan and a place where the Taliban have set up a shadow government.
U.S. Marines swept into the area from north and south, a U.S. Marine Corps official told CNN. They established a ring of security, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the area, the official said.
In an effort to establish a foothold, troops launched air assaults followed by a ground offensive in rough terrain, a region crisscrossed by canals.
The terrain is so tough that four lightly wounded troops whose injuries normally wouldn't need medical evacuation had to be airlifted for treatment.
NATO forces announced the offensive before it started so that citizens could get out of harm's way.
In the past few days, forces from Afghanistan, Britain and other nations dropped leaflets in and around Marjah warning residents not to allow the Taliban to enter their homes.
And meetings with local leaders, or shuras, have been held, as NATO forces tried to get Afghans on their side, the British military official told CNN.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday urged Afghan and international troops to exercise "absolute caution" and ensure civilian safety.
However, there were at least two civilian injuries -- two teens whose house was taken over by the Taliban and used to attack U.S. troops, the Marines said.
Key challenges are determining the strength of the remaining insurgency and whether, after the offensive, Afghans will stick with their government.
Officials said they hope Afghan forces and the government will maintain control, win allegiance from the citizens and provide farmers with an alternative to the poppy crops that pervade the region.
Twelve Afghan civilians died when two rockets fired by coalition forces missed their intended target in the Nad Ali district of Helmand Province, where the offensive is taking place, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.
"We deeply regret this tragic loss of life," ISAF Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal said in a statement. "The current operation in Central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan. It's regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost."
Officials said they did not know how many Taliban fighters remained in the Marjah region of Helmand province but think they may be in the hundreds -- some of whom are holed up in civilian compounds.
Dawoud Ahmadi, the provincial spokesman, said 27 Taliban fighters have been killed. Afghan and international force also discovered a total of 2,500 kg (5,500 lbs) of explosives during the operation.
The Taliban spokesman for the Marjah area claimed six Taliban casualties and said militants had killed 192 Afghan and coaltion troops.
In the past, the Taliban has often inflated casualty fighures.
"NATO forces have not captured any areas in Marjah from the Mujahadeen," said Qari Yousif Ahmadi, the Taliban spokesman.
Dubbed Operation Moshtarak, the offensive was launched early Saturday by an international coalition of 15,000 troops including Afghans, Americans, Britons, Canadians, Danes and Estonians.
Hours into the offensive, a U.S. Marine was killed by small-arms fire and a British soldier was killed in an explosion, according to a U.S. military official.
Soldiers also found a weapons cache in the Nad Ali district that included two 155 mm artillery rounds, four pressure plates, blasting caps and batteries, according to the International Security Assistance Force.
"The Taliban appear confused and disoriented," said Maj. Gen. Gordon Messenger, a British military spokesman. However, he tempered his optimism with the reminder that the operation was not over.
Long a bastion of pro-Taliban sentiment and awash with the opium used to fund the insurgency, the Marjah region has been known as the heroin breadbasket of Afghanistan and a place where the Taliban have set up a shadow government.
U.S. Marines swept into the area from north and south, a U.S. Marine Corps official told CNN. They established a ring of security, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the area, the official said.
In an effort to establish a foothold, troops launched air assaults followed by a ground offensive in rough terrain, a region crisscrossed by canals.
The terrain is so tough that four lightly wounded troops whose injuries normally wouldn't need medical evacuation had to be airlifted for treatment.
NATO forces announced the offensive before it started so that citizens could get out of harm's way.
In the past few days, forces from Afghanistan, Britain and other nations dropped leaflets in and around Marjah warning residents not to allow the Taliban to enter their homes.
And meetings with local leaders, or shuras, have been held, as NATO forces tried to get Afghans on their side, the British military official told CNN.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday urged Afghan and international troops to exercise "absolute caution" and ensure civilian safety.
However, there were at least two civilian injuries -- two teens whose house was taken over by the Taliban and used to attack U.S. troops, the Marines said.
Key challenges are determining the strength of the remaining insurgency and whether, after the offensive, Afghans will stick with their government.
Officials said they hope Afghan forces and the government will maintain control, win allegiance from the citizens and provide farmers with an alternative to the poppy crops that pervade the region.
Namens de Afghaanse burgerslachtoffers zouden wij Nederlandse burgers een klacht over de NRC-berichtgeving moeten indienen bij de Raad voor de Journalistiek.
De NRC verzweeg ook dit bericht dat ik gisteren geleden op mijn weblog zette:
'Friday 12 February 2010
by: Robert Naiman, t r u t h o u t | News Analysis
Lees verder: http://stanvanhoucke.blogspot.com/2010/02/nederland-en-afghanistan-245.html
2 opmerkingen:
Wel, de Raad voor Journalistiek zou de talloze klachten niet aankunnen net zo goed als 1 petitie teveel is bij de NRC. Al die klachten zijn hierin omvat, alleen de slachtoffersgroep wisselt.
Wellens: ‘Die petitie schreven we in navolging van Britse collega’s, die op 7 maart 2003 in de Guardian een open brief van identieke strekking hadden geplaatst. Wij boden onze tekst ter publicatie aan zowel NRC Handelsblad als de Volkskrant aan, maar geen van beide ging tot onze ergernis en verbazing over tot publicatie van de brief, die uiteindelijk wel werd afgedrukt in het Nederlands Juristenblad.’ Voor Wellens waren de verwikkelingen rond het buitenspel zetten van de CAVV mede reden om zich in 2005 terug te trekken als voorzitter van deze adviescommissie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Wellens: ‘Ik trok mij terug als voorzitter om twee redenen: ten eerste omdat het volkenrecht bepaald geen prioriteit bleek te hebben bij het bepalen van het buitenlands beleid (ondanks dat dat volgens onze Grondwet wel degelijk het geval zou moeten zijn), en ten tweede omdat ik vond dat de CAVV te weinig gebruikmaakte van het eigen initiatiefrecht, zoals in de kwestie-Irak
anzi
The Seminal
Does the US Still Maintain Secret Prisons in Afghanistan?
By: Jim White Thursday January 28, 2010 7:38 am
Lees verder The Seminal
anzi
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