Why We Must Tread Lightly

Aerial bombings are not 100% effective and they inflame local populations. They are death to a counter-insurgency campaign.

US-led coalition forces killed 76 Afghan civilians in western Afghanistan yesterday, most of them children, the country's Interior Ministry said.

The coalition denied killing civilians. Civilian deaths in military operations have become an emotive issue among Afghans, many of whom feel international forces take too little care when launching air strikes, undermining support for their presence.

"Seventy-six civilians, most of them women and children, were martyred today in a coalition forces operation in Herat province," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Obama wants to add troops to Afghanistan. That may mean that there will be less air strikes as the troops on the ground actually create security for the population. But the insurgents usually can only be reached by air. And when you misfire things like this happen. And anyway, it's not like you can roll back the clock on 76 deaths. That's more families stung by war, vowing revenge.

Meanwhile the Taliban is running roughshod over Pakistan, enacting major bombings and attacks.

I think if I was asked to be Vice President I'd say "No."