Who Can Tell?

These are Taliban. You can kill these.

These are kids. Don't kill these.

More fighting in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban evidently didn't get the message that they've been reduced to hit and run tactics, the victory message that NATO proclaimed to us just weeks ago.

Accounts from the battles seem confused. What is known is that Taliban forces have taken two areas, one in the Dutch-held province or Uruzgan and the other in Canada's Kandahar province.

An official close to the governor of Uruzgan said 70 to 75 civilians were killed or wounded, while more than 100 Taliban and more than 35 police were killed.

NATO spokesman Maj. John Thomas said he doubted that Afghan officials could tell the difference between civilians and militants, suggesting some of the wounded who claimed to be civilians were insurgents. I don't know whether the Afghan officials can tell the difference but what is obvious is that NATO itself either can't or can't be bothered. Hey guys, look for the beards! That's a dead giveaway.