Civilian Deaths in Kandahar: A Globe & Mail Reporter Gets it Wrong

This is what the Globe and Mail's reporter Graeme Smith wrote in his piece "How Taliban exploit civilian casualties" on Monday:

The number of civilian deaths inflicted by NATO and U.S. operations in Afghanistan has risen dramatically, with roughly 300 killed so far this year.

One of the major exceptions to this trend has been in Kandahar province, where Canadian commanders say they haven't heard any complaints of civilian casualties in 2007.

So, who's lying? The "Canadian commanders" or Smith?

Via wiki:

* February 17, 2007 An unarmed man acting in a suspicious manner was shot and killed by Canadian troops near the village of Senjaray 12 km west of Kandahar[21]

* February 17, 2007 NATO troops shot and killed a civilian who was running through convoy near Kandahar[22]

* February 18, 2007 Canadian troops mistakenly gunned down an Afghan National Police officer and a homeless beggar after their convoy was ambushed in Kandahar City late Sunday[23]

* February 27, 2007 Canadian troops fire at a Toyota car that failed to stop at a security cordon around a broken down Canadian vehicle in the Kandahar area. One occupant is killed, the other is wounded. No weapons or bombs were found.[24]

Maybe that article should get a new headline: How Graeme Smith Denies Civilian Casualties