U.S. Halted Special Ops

A troubling report from Afghanistan: According to The New York Times, “The commander of a secretive branch of America’s Special Operations forces last month ordered a halt to most commando missions in Afghanistan, reflecting a growing concern that civilian deaths caused by American firepower are jeopardizing broader goals there.” The hiatus lasted two weeks and came after rising Afghan anger over the deaths of women and children in nighttime raids. The Army’s Delta Force and the classified Navy Seals “carry out dozens of operations each week, so any decision to halt their missions is a sign of just how worried military officials are that the fallout from civilian casualties is putting in peril the overall American mission in Afghanistan, including an effort to drain the Taliban of popular support.”