# 66 Dead in Afghanistan Fire Fight



## CdnArtyWife (23 May 2006)

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/060522/w052240.html

50 Taliban, 16 civilians dead after coalition forces attempt to capture leaders 
16:28:32 EDT May 22, 2006 
BOB WEBER




> KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - An attempt by coalition soldiers to move against a meeting of Taliban leaders in a village outside Kandahar erupted early Monday into a firefight that left at least 50 insurgents dead while killing at least 16 civilians and wounding 15 others, including several children and infants.
> 
> The battle, which began in the village of Azizi late Sunday night and raged on into Monday morning, was one of the largest in terms of combatant and civilian casualties since coalition forces arrived in Afghanistan in 2002. Five Taliban were also captured.
> 
> ...


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## Centurian1985 (23 May 2006)

Not the version I read in todays paper.  

Times Colonist 23May
Jim Farrell
CanWest News Service

"Afghan villagers angry with Canada for US attack"

It describes the event as "According to news reports, American attack helicopters targeted a madrassa (religious school) where Taliban fighters were reputed to be holed up.  When many insurgents fled the building and took refuge in nearby residential compounds, the helicopters began to bomb". 

Other key lines - "Even though no Canadian soldiers were involved in the assault, to villagers, all western soldiers are considered the same and many feel they must share the blame." "We cannot tell the difference between Canadian and American soldiers.  They are all Americans to us" 

Although the article can claim to be based on factual events, it has left out key information and the key information left in was seperated so that an unclear picture of the event was created.  It does not expand on all facets of the event that occured, nor does it mention that there was a Taliban meeting in progress, instead making it sound as if the US indiscrimanently attacked a school with non-guided munitions, and not mentoning that the air strike was in support of coalition troops caught in a firefight with local indigineous forces.  I interpret the article as having been deliberately skewed to create an anti-US/anti-Afghan deployment opinion.  


Further on CanWest News Service, aka CanWest Global Communications
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CanWest_Global_Communications

"Since the 2000 acquisition of the major former Canadian newspaper holdings of Conrad Black's Hollinger International, including CanWest News Service, opposition has been expressed by some journalists, union spokespersons, politicians, and pundits about CanWest's enforcement of its corporate editorial positions. A 2001 decision to run regular uniform national editorials in all metropolitan dailies (except National Post), whereby local editorial boards could not take local positions on subjects of national editorials, ignited major national controversy and was subsequently withdrawn. Conflict over CanWest editorial control and policy has focused in particular on three issues:
The Liberal Party of Canada. Since Israel Asper's leadership of the Manitoba Liberal Party, the Asper family has been identified with Liberal politics and politicians. In July 2001, Southam national affairs columnist Lawrence Martin, was fired after a column of his critical of Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was not published. Russell Mills, longtime publisher of The Ottawa Citizen, was fired in June 2002 after the newspaper called on Chrétien to resign. However, as of 2006, at least one Asper family member (David Asper) is now publicly supporting the Conservatives. ([1]) 
(other two issues not relevant)


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## Michael Dorosh (24 May 2006)

S_Baker said:
			
		

> helciopters don't bomb...



To a scared civilian (or a reporter) a rocket is the same as a bomb...


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## Canadian.Trucker (24 May 2006)

There is always going to be a slant in some direction.  Was the death of the civillians worth the destruction of Taliban militants?  Hard to say.  As for the opinion of the Afghanistan people, why is anyone shocked?  I wonder if we wouldn't feel the same way if we were in their shoes.  We can only continue to do the job we have been doing and do our best to make the country as safe as possible for civillians, and as deadly as possible for terrorists.


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