Today’s news of the friendly fire incident reported by the New York Times could not have come at a more inopportune time. Of course, bad news seldom arrives at one’s doorstep at an opportune time.
Afghan soldiers waiting to ambush Taliban militants were bombed by NATO war planes. No doubt a grievous result of stray miscommunication, nevertheless at least five Afghan soldiers are now dead; at least two more are wounded.
The political ground on the scene is not ready to take in this news envelope it tragic, unfortunate, careless, never again. This incident will have real consequences; perhaps on par with the debacle that floored the German Defense Ministry. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Ambassador Ikenberry and General Petraeus’ civic diplomacy has yet to take off; the misspent promises to engineer greater cooperation within the greater U.S-NATO-Afghan alliance have yet to pay out. And now, the iron shackled anchor of NATO’s withdrawal strategy has come under attack by NATO forces.
There will be a hasty, nasty investigation to find the culpable officers whose miscommunication helped cause this devastating episode. The NATO country with command and jurisdiction over the responsible officers will be blamed from another downturn in cooperation and allegiance in the nearly nine year old war. And the fight, carrying its own end, an overdue peace, will stumble along.