Two American Soldiers Assassinated At Afghanistan Interior Ministry

Behold our "allies".

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shootings, which it said were in retaliation for the desecration of the Korans at Bagram airfield. Afghan security sources said the two were a U.S. colonel and major with NATO forces.

The Koran burnings have ignited anti-Western feelings in Afghanistan despite an apology from U.S. President Barack Obama and a call for restraint from Afghan leader Hamid Karzai.

Thousands have taken to the streets in protest. Twelve people were killed and dozens wounded on Friday, the bloodiest day yet in demonstrations.

An Afghan security source said the American officers were found dead with gunshot wounds deep inside the heavily fortified interior ministry.

"There is CCTV there and special locks. The killer would have had to have the highest security (clearance) to get to the room where they were killed," the source told Reuters.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed two of its servicemen had been killed in Kabul but declined to say if the shooter was a member of the Afghan security forces.

It's time to go.

We've been at war in Afghanistan for over a decade and have degraded al Qaeda's ability to use that country as a base from which to train and attack us. The battle has moved to other places such as Yemen and the Horn of Africa and we need to continue to focus on them.

We should move to a smaller footprint that enables special operations forces and CIA paramilitary types to kill key people when necessary. The days of tens of thousands of troops trying to create a civil society there simply must end. If these savages want a country run by Islamic fundamentalists again, they are welcome to it. As we pull out we should arm all the warring factions to the teeth. Let them spend all of their time killing each other.

Added: Via @slublog, Michael Ramirez sums up Obama's apology over the Koran burnings.

posted by DrewM. at 01:13 PM

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