With all due respect, acknowledging the temptation to dehumanize others, I think they get as upset as you or I do. It just isn't reported in the Western press.

You can bet it's heavily covered by anyone who doesn't like the US. The American press would report it if Taliban fire killed 9 villagers when they were shooting at Allies. It's a propaganda windfall, used to inflame our enemies.

If an Afghani were avenging an act in Afghanistan in the US, and accidently shot up 9 of the wrong people, we'd be justifiably upset.

And the Taliban is a lot more Afghan than the Allies. Our Afghani friends let a lot of them go, maybe most, and fer sure OBL escaped with their help. The tribes might fight each other, but are closer to each other than they are to any Western nation. Have you ever been in a bar with a few Army, Navy, Marine and/or Air Force folks? Any two? Or, Navy crews from two different ships. Same Navy, different ships. Can get tense. Throw in a few Russians, and see how the alliances change.

I think it's human nature to regard people who speak a different language, have a different culture, wear different clothes, possibly a different complexion, as somehow different in their emotional lives and somewhat lower in intelligence. After all, if they are so damned smart, why don't the live where we do, talk like we talk, act like we act?

People may be poor, wear rubber sandals or clothes over their heads, ill-educated, and be very, very smart, very, very clever too, hard-working, well adapted to their environment, and have a full range of emotional life. They are not culturally like dogs, for instance, forming a pack with looser allegiances within the pack. They are human, have families, love each other, and love their friends. Just like us. They can last for long periods of time, and remain mission effective with a minimum of supplies.

Anyway, I hope it's human nature, not just a tendency of us Americans, to think other cultures are somehow less than human. I have known some Asians who were extremely well educated and spoke 4 or 5 languages fluently. Because they were just learning English, clerks would act as if they were stupid. Not illiterate. Stupid.

Forget that at one's peril. They will sneak up on you, because everyone has two flanks and a rear.

They may not drive a car, dial a telephone (how long since telephones had "dials), use a laser ranger, or fly a helicopter. They may not have body armor, MREs, distilled water, or foot powder. They may not have all the "goodies". They have what works there.

And, if any of those tribes get really, really irritated, and hook up with a country which doesn't like the US and get their hands on Stinger-like missiles, it could get tough for the Allies over there.

That's what happened to the Russians. They were doing OK, no great, but were viable UNTIL the US supplied the rebels with Stingers. It was over.

I wouldn't underestimate them. And I wouldn't assume they don't have every emotion you do.

Arf