A Dossier on Civilian Victimsof United States’ Aerial
Bombing of Afghanistan: A Comprehensive Accounting
An Economics professor at the University of New Hampshire is
challenging the Pentagon’s claims that our War Against Terrorism
has kept civilian casualties to a minimum.
Marc Herold, writing in the media criticism Web site
Cursor.org, argues that American bombs have killed
more than 3,700 Afghan civilians since the war began on October 7,
a fact that ‘a compliant media’ prefers to ignore. ‘In order to
make the American Afghan War appear ‘just,’ it becomes imperative
to completely block out access to information on the true human
costs of this war,’ Herold writes, noting the Pentagon’s influence
over the major news networks, its decision to buy up all the
commercial satellite imagery available to the general public, and
Colin Powell’s trip to Qatar to lecture the Al Jazeera news network
about its war coverage.
Meanwhile, Herold has diligently chronicled the civilian carnage,
relying on offical news agencies and national newspapers in the
area, reputable nongovernmental organizations such as RAWA and
Emergency Italia, and reports from journalists and survivors on the
scene.
What he’s found is that about 62 civilians were killed each day of
the war–a total of 3,767–through December 6. And yet, mainstream
media have covered the casualties in a decidedly selective manner.
‘Apparently, the only real casualties noted are those either
connected to a western enterprise or organizations, or those
‘independently verified’ by western individuals and/or
organizaitons,’ he writes. ‘In other words, the high levels of
civilian casualties are simply written off to ‘enemy’ progaganda
and ignored.’
–Craig Cox
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Related:
Over 200 Civilians are Killed to Get 1.5*
Taliban Leaders
(Herold’s most recent addition)