Three American Doctors Killed by Guard at Afghan Hospital

[Stuart G]

Source: New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan police officer shot and killed three American doctors at a hospital here on Thursday, according to Afghan police officials.

The attack took place at the Cure International Hospital in Kabul, a 100-bed facility that specializes in treating disabled Afghans and has a maternal care unit with support for premature births. The police officer had recently been assigned to guard the hospital.

Sediq Seddiqi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said the Afghan guard was shot and wounded in the incident and was being treated in the hospital under guard. However, another Afghan official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the officer tried to shoot himself with his own weapon after the attack.

Mr. Seddiqi said the motive for the attack was unknown. A police official identified the killer as Ayudin, from Laghman Province, a two-year veteran of the police force in Kabul; like many Afghans, he goes by only one name.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/25/world/asia/foreign-doctors-killed-by-guard-at-afghan-hospital.html?hp&assetType=nyt_now

[7962]

1. Typical. Attack people who are obviously trying to help the citizens. And non-military. nt

[denbot]

4. Typical treatment for foreign invaders.

To a tribal society all outsiders are one and the same. Even though the doctors were there for selfless and noble reasons, they are viewed by many as the same as our military, the enemy.

In the eighties, the Russians would be invited to local officials home for dinner only to have their throats slit.

A century and a half ago the British learned the same lesson.
..
When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier of the Queen!

Rudyard Kipling 1865

[Democat]

7. Foreign doctors invading countries to help the sick and the poor

There are no excuses for killing unarmed doctors who are there to help people.

[denbot]

8. I wasn't making excuses for that act.

It is just the way foreigners are viewed by many in that part of the world.

BTW when I registered with DU back in 2001 Democat was my first choice due to my being a Democrat, my habit of playing demos of computer games (Democat and Denbot were my favorite avatar names) , and my life time love of cats. As you know, you beat me to it.

[Ex Lurker]

9. it has a twisted logic

anything that stabilizes or modernizes the country is bad for the Taliban. That means hospitals, education, infrastructure of any kind.

[denbot]

17. Strickingly similar to our own Teahadists

Anyone who says that there is no difference in parties will live to regret it should the nation come to believe that lie.

[Sunlei]

14. good post! cool how history of past occupations of the Afghan people survives in a poem

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier of the Queen!

Rudyard Kipling 1865

[cosmicone]

12. A peaceful gesture by the culture of peace.

[spinbaby]

2. Can it be a coincidence that this is a religious hospital?

From their Web site: "delivers life-changing medical care and the good news of God's love."

[psychopomp]

11. Good catch

However, this is likely not to be easily explained and will remain just another tragedy in Afghanistan.

[aceofblades]

3. That's awful

As a physician here in the U.S. , I have great respect for those who are trained here and then go to internationally under-served (and at times dangerous )areas
This also reminds me of the incident when two AP photographers were shot by an Afghan policeman. The vast majority of officers carry out there jobs dutifully but it seems that there always will be some that do not. RIP and condolences to the families.

[Skittles]

15. welcome to DU, aceoblades

I donate to Doctors Without Borders and am in awe of what they do. I don't know that I could do that kind of stuff myself so I do the next best thing - send money to those who do.

[Marrah_G]

19. Doctors without Borders is amazing

So brave and truly heroic.

[AngryAmish]

5. Why is any American in that shithole?

Bring them home, Mr. President.

[uppityperson]

6. Some of the doctors were visiting, not military but civilians helping

out an underfunded, understaffed very third world "health" care situation. There are civilian professionals who want to and do help either by joining with others or NGOs to help the people living in that "shithole".

Not sure how your comment applies in this case. Do you want President Obama to say no Americans can help in Afghanistan and must be sent back to the USA?


http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2023445810_apxafghanistan.html

(clip)
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul confirmed that three American citizens had been killed in the hospital attack but said it had no other information. It did not confirm Afghan reports that the three were doctors.

According to its website, the Cure International Hospital was founded in 2005 by invitation of the Afghan Ministry of Health. It sees 37,000 patients a year, specializing in child and maternity health as well as general surgery. It is affiliated with the Christian charity Cure International, which operates in 29 countries with the motto "curing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God."

(clip)

It was unclear whether the Taliban were behind Thursday's shooting, though the insurgents have claimed several major attacks that killed foreign civilians this year, an escalation of such attacks after years of mostly targeting foreign military personnel and Afghan security forces.

[JI7]

21. you think americans should be banned from going to certain places ?

[TwilightGardener]

10. What a waste.

[Sunlei]

13. 'Doctors without Borders' has had many similar attacks in that part of the world.

[Beacool]

16. Heartbreaking!!!

They were there to treat children, not to inflict pain.

May they rest in peace.

[Marrah_G]

18. Such a tragedy

[JI7]

20. so what percentage are like this ?

i would like to know what percentage think this is ok. that it's ok to kill those who are helping the people of the country.