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US to Cut Down on Afghan Airstrikes

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 22, 2009 1:08 PM CDT

(Newser) – The US military is tightening its rules regarding airstrikes in Afghanistan, in the face of mounting civilian casualties, the New York Times reports. Airstrikes will now be used mostly to prevent coalition forces from being overrun, new Afghan commander Stanley McChrystal announced. “Air power contains the seeds of our own destruction if we do not use it responsibly,” he told senior officers last week. “We can lose this fight.”

US airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians and angered the Afghan government. Public outrage ran particularly hot last month, when an airstrike killed dozens in the village of Granai; a Pentagon report later concluded that many errors had been made. The Pentagon said 26 civilians had been killed, but the Afghan government put the number at 140.

An Afghan girl looks for her belongings in her house which was destroyed in the coalition air strike on Monday night in Bala Baluk district of Afghanistan, Friday, May 8, 2009. (AP Photo)

U.S. Marines CW02 John Daly looks out from the back of his vehicle as coalition air strikes hit a Taliban position, June 20, 2009. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

In this June 2, 2009 file photo, Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, then President Barack Obama's nominee to be commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, testifies on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

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US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

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US to Cut Down on Afghan Airstrikes

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • civilian casualties • US military • airstrike • Stanley McChrystal

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

Focus to be on training, special missions, not policing

Panetta: US Combat Role in Afghanistan Over in 2013

But American, NATO troops will still have 'robust' advisory role

Hatred Fueling Afghan Army Attacks on Allied Troops

Mutual contempt behind most attacks on NATO troops from within: report

Marines in Urination Video ID'd

Hillary Clinton calls incident possible war crime

Why We Spend $400 per Gallon of Gas in Afghanistan

Danger to convoys forcing military to rely on pricey airlifts

About Us

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Newser By Users

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What is Newser?