Afghan Civilian Death Crisis

A tragic milestone has been marked in Afghanistan:  The number of civilian deaths attributed to American- and NATO-led forces in the last half-year has outstripped the number caused by insurgents.

Los Angeles Times:

The upsurge in deaths at the hands of Western forces has been driven by Taliban tactics as well as by actions of the American military and its allies.

But the growing toll is causing widespread disillusionment among the Afghan people, eroding support for the government of President Hamid Karzai and exacerbating political rifts among NATO allies about the nature and goals of the mission in Afghanistan.

More than 500 Afghan civilians have been reported killed this year, and the rate has dramatically increased in the last month.

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