More Hearts And Minds At 30,000 Feet

Our strategy of bombing Afghanistan into loving us because we don't have the troops on the ground has turned tragic:

A U.S. warplane mistakenly dropped a 500-pound bomb on British troops after they called for air support in Afghanistan, killing three soldiers and seriously wounding two others in an accident that could re-ignite debate about America's heavy use of air power.

Friendly fire involving U.S. troops has led to the deaths of three British servicemen in the current Iraq war, but the incident Thursday night was the first confirmed case between the two forces in Afghanistan. British officials said they were investigating the error, which comes amid growing concerns about civilian deaths from U.S. airstrikes.

The troops were patrolling northwest of Kajaki, a militant hotspot in southern Helmand province, when they were attacked by Taliban fighters, Britain's Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

This is a particularly tragic situation, but it's standard practice for the Afghan people, who die from errant bombing regularly. Which is why they are not swayed by arguments of the so-called benevolent Western powers.

UPDATE: Apparently they went and printed Koranic verses on soccer balls and threw them out of planes to the Afghan people, who immediately were incensed that they would put the holiest texts in Islam on a ball to be kicked. Man, it's like we're trying to insult them in whatever way possible.