- Oct 7, 2011
- 38,401
- 4,162
- 1,130
Nice to have such a dear friend and ally like Afghanistan huh?
Two American soldiers were killed Thursday in a shooting by an Afghan soldier and a literacy teacher at a joint base in southern Afghanistan, officials said, the latest in a series of deaths as anti-Americanism rises following the burning of Korans by U.S. soldiers.
Both were killed on the same day that the top NATO commander allowed a small number of foreign advisers to return to work at Afghan ministries after more than a week of being locked down in secure locations because of the killing of two other Americans.
Thursday's killings raised to six the number of Americans killed in less than two weeks amid heightened tensions over the Feb. 20 burning of Korans and other Islamic texts that had been dumped in a garbage pit at Bagram Air Field near Kabul. More than 30 Afghans also were killed in six days of violent riots that broke out after the incident.
President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials apologized and said the burning was an accident. His statement has failed to quell the anger, although Muslim protests over the burnings have ebbed this week.
Afghan security forces -- or militants disguised in their uniforms -- have staged a number of attacks against Americans and other members of the international alliance in recent years. But the recent deaths have been linked to the Koran burnings.
The U.S. has said it is committed to staying the course in Afghanistan despite the recent riots and killings, but Thursday's deaths are bound to impact the pivotal training and mentoring program as foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.
NATO forces have advisers embedded in many Afghan ministries, both as trainers and to help manage the transition to Afghan control. The United States and international agencies also have hundreds of civilian advisers in ministries and on development projects run from coalition military bases around the country.
The program is the main component of NATO's exit strategy from Afghanistan and has so far cost the U.S. $22 billion in 2010 and 2011 to train and equip the Afghans.
Read more: 2 US Troops Killed In Afghanistan Following Koran Burning | Fox News
DRUDGE REPORT 2012®
Two American soldiers were killed Thursday in a shooting by an Afghan soldier and a literacy teacher at a joint base in southern Afghanistan, officials said, the latest in a series of deaths as anti-Americanism rises following the burning of Korans by U.S. soldiers.
Both were killed on the same day that the top NATO commander allowed a small number of foreign advisers to return to work at Afghan ministries after more than a week of being locked down in secure locations because of the killing of two other Americans.
Thursday's killings raised to six the number of Americans killed in less than two weeks amid heightened tensions over the Feb. 20 burning of Korans and other Islamic texts that had been dumped in a garbage pit at Bagram Air Field near Kabul. More than 30 Afghans also were killed in six days of violent riots that broke out after the incident.
President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials apologized and said the burning was an accident. His statement has failed to quell the anger, although Muslim protests over the burnings have ebbed this week.
Afghan security forces -- or militants disguised in their uniforms -- have staged a number of attacks against Americans and other members of the international alliance in recent years. But the recent deaths have been linked to the Koran burnings.
The U.S. has said it is committed to staying the course in Afghanistan despite the recent riots and killings, but Thursday's deaths are bound to impact the pivotal training and mentoring program as foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.
NATO forces have advisers embedded in many Afghan ministries, both as trainers and to help manage the transition to Afghan control. The United States and international agencies also have hundreds of civilian advisers in ministries and on development projects run from coalition military bases around the country.
The program is the main component of NATO's exit strategy from Afghanistan and has so far cost the U.S. $22 billion in 2010 and 2011 to train and equip the Afghans.
Read more: 2 US Troops Killed In Afghanistan Following Koran Burning | Fox News
DRUDGE REPORT 2012®
