Afghanistan Offensive: Save the Children

U.S. Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, protect an Afghan man and his child after Taliban fighters opened fire in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, February 13, 2010. U.S.-led NATO troops launched a crucial offensive on Saturday against the Taliban’s last big stronghold in Afghanistan’s most violent province and were quickly thrown into a firefight with the militants. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic (AFGHANISTAN – Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS CONFLICT)

Given U.S. emphasis on counter-insurgency, a brilliant piece of Afghan war propaganda.

A U.S. Marine from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, gestures as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child after Taliban fighters opened fire in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, February 13, 2010. U.S.-led NATO troops launched a crucial offensive on Saturday against the Taliban’s last big stronghold in Afghanistan’s most violent province and were quickly thrown into a firefight with the militants. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic (AFGHANISTAN – Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS CONFLICT IMAGES OF THE DAY)

But (as tone changes in accompanying shot), how much are we responsible for putting civilians in harms way in the first place?

(I’m also curious about the candy.)

(photos: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters. caption 1: U.S. Marines from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, protect an Afghan man and his child after Taliban fighters opened fire in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, February 13, 2010. U.S.-led NATO troops launched a crucial offensive on Saturday against the Taliban’s last big stronghold in Afghanistan‘s most violent province and were quickly thrown into a firefight with the militants. caption 2: same, except first line reads: “Marine … gestures as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child….)