Each day brings new stories concerning events in Afghanistan that resulted in the murder of sixteen people, including children. Afghan villagers told AP reporters and government officials that prior to the shootings by Sergeant Bales they were halted by American soldiers who lined them up against a wall and threatened retaliation for a bombing that injured their comrades. Accordintg to Ahmad Shan Khan, “It looked like they were going to shoot us and I was very afraid. Then a NATO soldier said through his translator that even children would pay ffor this.”
We Americans would like to believe that our soldiers would not make such threats, we hope this scene never occurred, but there is always the possibility that what was described by several Afghans contains morsels of truth. At this point, it is imperative for US investigators to make certain as to what took place.
My main confusion is why Mr. Khan refers to a NATO translator rather than an “American translator?” Did villagers describe Americans as members of NATO? It is confusing.