From Soonergrunt:
I have some new information for you--
1--The truck that was involved in the fatal accident suffered a braking system failure. The report that the truck was broadsided as the primary cause seems to be erroneous, and you have my apologies, but the vehicle was apparently hit by something on one side of the cargo deck at some point.
2--NO US forces fired into crowds of people ANYWHERE in the Kabul area. That is just flat-assed fact. One or more vehicles from the accident scene did fire a short burst over the heads of the crowd. (I don't like warning shots in the air--they have to come down somewhere you know) Warning shots into the ground were probably not possible with all of the people around.
3--Military vehicles are not designed to be very durable. They are designed to be easy to repair. This is primarily due to the need to repair battle-damage as quickly as possible. High durability requires substantially higher prices. If a HMMWV were built to the durability standards of your typical modern family sedan, it would cost something like $120,000 instead of $30,000. Military vehicles, even those with the best maintenance, routinely break down. That's what happens when spare parts are procured from the lowest bidder, and the equipment is run in environments that the Freedom ofaverage civilian would never dream of visiting.
4--The side of Kabul that I saw today didn't appear any different than it did last week. People still waved at us, kids still gave us the thumbs-up, and everybody still drove like crazy people. I don't know what will be done for the victims of the crash, but I do know that we have compensation mechanisms in place to deal with this kind of thing as best we can.
All of that accords with what is being widely reported today from Afghanistan in the media.
Previous word from Soonergrunt on Kabul riot is here.
The Afghan parliament has passed a resolution seeking the arrest and trial of the US soldiers responsible for the crash which started the riots.
From the BBC, the Department of Defense confirms that shots were fired, although there is still confusion as to whether some shots may have been fired into the crowd:
"Our initial investigation .. shows fire came from the crowd and our soldiers used their weapons to defend themselves," Col Tom Collins said.
Col Collins said video footage showed US soldiers firing over the heads of the stone throwing crowds from a machine gun mounted on one of the 12 vehicles in the convoy.
He did not say whether other soldiers in the convoy had fired.
"We just don't know yet who discharged their weapons or even at whom," Col Collins said.
"There is a lot we do not know. We are determined to get to the facts of what happened."
There are now some reports that the riots were organised, rather than spontaneous, as the rioters broke up into groups that followed different routes but pursued similar tactics as the rampaged throughout Kabul. According to the Financial Times:
Opinion remains divided over whether the disturbance was orchestrated by Islamic militants or were merely a spontaneous eruption of unrest.
"The riots were organised," said a western security source working with Afghan police.
"They have been waiting for a catalyst from the coalition forces and biding their time,"
He added that he had seen demonstrators carrying maps with a route drawn out.
"They are after martyrdom. They are calling the people who got killed in the accident martyrs," he said.
However, diplomats and eye witnesses said that the demonstrations had been used by criminals as an opportunity for looting and theft.
"They were thieves. They were waiting for a small opportunity to steal and loot from the houses," said Jan Ali, a 50-year-old shopkeeper in downtown Kabul.
In honour of the National Guard, "One Weekend A Month My Ass":
And to remember why we care, a Founders and Osama joke:
After getting nailed by a Daisy Cutter, Osama made his way to the pearly gates. There, he is greeted by George Washington.
"How dare you attack the nation I helped conceive!" yells Mr Washington, slapping Osama in the face.
Patrick Henry comes up from behind. "You wanted to end the Americans' liberty, so they gave you death!" Henry punches Osama on the nose.
James Madison comes up next, and says "This is why I allowed the Federal government to provide for the common defense!" He drops a large weight on Osama's knee.
Osama is subject to similar beatings from John Randolph of Roanoke, James Monroe, and 65 other people who have the same love for liberty and America. As he writhes on the ground, Thomas Jefferson picks him up to hurl him back toward the gate where he is to be judged. As Osama awaits his journey to his final very hot destination, he screams "This is not what I was promised!"
An angel replies " What did you think I said? I told you there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you."
And now some (risque) British humour from a former war courtesy of Britain's new Freedom of Information Act: