I recall reading that as American and Russian units met up during WW2, the latter would often celebrate by firing their weapons at the ground. Understandably jumpy and tired US troops often responded decisively to what they thought was aggression, and Russian commanders had to instruct their people to exercise at least a tiny bit of restraint.

Chalk it up to cultural and historical differences, I guess. What might seem like lunacy to us--firing weapons into the air when it's filled with warplanes, and expecting the pilots to just get out of the way of the bullets--is apparently just the way business is conducted in Afghanistan.

If I were a civilian in a war zone, I'd simply avoid shooting at anything or anyone...in fact, I doubt I'd so much as carry a weapon, for fear that I'd be mistaken by someone as hostile. Doesn't mean I wouldn't get shot, I suppose, but it might mitigate the odds somewhat.