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On February 1, Medill on the Hill , a project of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism headlined, "Insider attacks on US troops by friendly Afghan forces on the rise," saying:
A March 2011 Kandahar Province attack killed two US soldiers and wounded four others. An Afghan security contractor was responsible - "a hired gun paid for by the US-led coalition."
It wasn't an isolated incident. Since May 2007, Afghan security forces launched at least 45 attacks. About 70 or more NATO troops were killed and hundreds more wounded.
Friendly force attacks are increasing. Most came in the past two years, despite careful recruit screening. NATO ranks number 130,000, including 90,000 US troops.
As of October 2011, Afghan National Security Forces numbered 312,000. However, distrust, poor training, corruption, and growing desertions erupt in violence against a hated occupier.
On March 1, the Christian Science Monitor headlined, "Afghan troops keep killing US troops," saying:
An Afghan soldier and civilian employee "murdered two US soldiers at a base near the southern city of Kandahar today. That brings the total so-called green on blue killings in Afghanistan to six since an Afghan witnessed US soldiers dumping Qurans into a burn pit at Bagram Air Base a week ago."
At issue is America's decade-long failed war. Incidents are increasing. Frustration and anger define them. Afghans want Americans out. Anger causes attacks. Many others sympathize and perhaps plan their own.
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