ERIC ALTERMAN wonders why nobody is paying attention to reports that parts of Afghanistan were designated free-fire zones. He should read blogs more or at least read more blogs: Flit has researched the sources, and so has Nick Marsala. Tim Blair has more information, too. None of this is doing much to enhance the credibility of the charges: some crucial details in the story appear to be false.

UPDATE: Reader William G. Bean writes:

Regarding your recent post about deaths of civilians in Afghanistan, I was reminded of a story I read a few months ago about our military interdiction of gasoline supply trucks that were smuggling gasoline into the interior of Afghanistan. Our soldiers would stop the truck, remove the drivers, then have a helicopter blow up the truck. We would release the drivers unharmed. I think that is the way you judge our operations in this war. We put our soldiers at increased risk in this kind of operation and I don’t think any armed force has ever gone to such extremes to protect the civilian population.

Yes, I remember that story. It was reported in terms of the drivers’ complaints about how unfairly they were treated. Sadly, the more careful you are in war, the higher standard people hold you to.