Truly sad and tragic news, as a U.S. Army Sergeant attached to Village Stabilization Operation, something started by the Canadian Forces went door to door killing 16 Afghanistan citizens including 3 girls under the age of 16.
In an environment already ready to explode due to the stupid burning of the Qur'an this will probably permanently turn any moderates against Western Solder's and create an incredibly dangerous environment.
I will say that I'm amazed that this hasn't happened sooner and more often, in a war where the enemy hides among friends, where the enemy is rarely seen and uses suicide bombers the training and support given to these soldiers does not match up to the current requirement.
At this point there is probably nothing more that can be done in Afghanistan, any good will for example that the Canadian's had gained as a representative of the West is now effectively gone, pissed away over the last 6 months by continued blunders by the American's and a corrupt and two faced Afghanistan government.
Its probably time to get the rest of the Canadian's out of there, its probably now time for the American's to withdraw and let the Kharzi government stand or fall on its own.
Its also clear that this soldier is going to be facing a general court marshal and not see the light of day again, in a sense he not only betrayed his unit and put it in danger, but he betrayed his country and unraveled any chance for the American's to gain any kind of minor foothold in that region.
I feel terrible for the victims of this senseless shooting, they are the worst kind of victims and will probably become unwitting rallying cries for extremism.
Its time to leave that region on its own
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/wo...dier-held.html