Begs the question nobody wants to ask, and which nobody wanted to ask about Iraq, either: Who is responsible for civilian deaths when the rebels choose to hide among (Or even be actively supported by) the civilians - the people who attack them in the civilian sanctuary, or the rebels for hiding among the civilians? Insurgent warfare is a blood-drenched ugly mess where the actions of both sides get the civilians killed, it is not the cookies and milk delivery system our military leadership portrays to the press, and the press laps up. Trying to pretend otherwise has certainly spared a lot of Afghan civilian lives at the cost of fostering a resurgent Taliban and a lot of unnecessary American and Coalition KIA.