Conduct of the US Army in Afghanistan

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Two incidents have cast a pall over the conduct of the US army in Afghanistan. Both incidents show the US army in poor light. The first incident occurred when US servicemen in a routine and stupid manner burnt copies of the holy Koran. The Koran is revered in Islam and there was bound to be a backlash. The books were burnt at Bagran one of the biggest US base in this land locked country.

The second incident is again serious. One soldier took his service rifle and in a killing spree shot 16 Afghan civilians including 5 children dead. Such a killing can seriously affect the operations of the US army in its battles with the Jihad followers.

No army can win a war in case the common man does not support it. By these 2 acts the US army has lost much sympathy and many Afghans are wondering what the hell is happening. Are these troops fighting the Taliban and al Qaeds or simply killing innocent Afghans.

The US army in Afghanistan is doing all the wrong things. Soldiers are expected to behave and fight the enemy and not walk into houses and kill civilians. President Karzai is worried as he has put all his eggs in the US basket. He has condemned the incident, but that is small consolation for the Afghan civilians who have died.

Even the incident of the burning of the Koran could have been avoided. A cleric could have been called and asked to take away the books. I suppose the officer clas of the US army had woefully failed in providing leaderdship. This is a dangerous sign and does not auger well for the future and an american victory.