List Of New US Military Guidelines In Afghanistan

U.S. Marines patrol the small town of Dahanah, next to Now Zad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, in order to develop relationships with the civilians in the area, June 26, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo

From The AP:

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. military made public new guidelines Monday for its troops in Afghanistan, battlefield rules that seek to reduce the number of civilian casualties in an increasingly deadly war.

Civilian deaths caused by U.S. and NATO military operations have long been a source of friction between President Hamid Karzai and the international force. Such deaths alienate Afghan villagers, causing a loss of support for the international mission and the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

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My Comment: The three directives for U.S. and NATO forces, posted on the military's Facebook page as part of a longer statement, are:

_ Airstrikes must be very limited and authorized but can be used in self-defense if troops' lives are at risk.

_ Troops must be accompanied by Afghan forces before they enter residences.

_ Troops cannot go into or fire upon mosques or other religious sites. This is already U.S. policy.