What’s an acceptable amount of civilian deaths?

America is attempting a more humane war in Afghanistan.  But with at least 33 civilian deaths being reported, people in Afghanistan are angry and upset.

President Hamid Karzi has called on troops to put a stop to the civilian deaths. He said “Although the NATO troops have done a lot to reduce civilian casualties, our objective is to reach the point where there is no civilian casualty,”

But is this a realistic request during a war?

On air: Is it ever justified to kill civilians?

There has been a sharp increase in the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan this year, according to new figures released by the United Nations. Last week Human Rights Watch said civilian deaths in Afghanistan from US and Nato air strikes have nearly tripled over the past year, with the onslaught continuing in 2008 and fuelling a public backlash

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said today that the U.S. military needs to do more to prevent the killing of ordinary Afghans caught up in military operations.