U.S. officials have briefed President Obama about an alleged shooting of civilians by a U.S. service member in Afghanistan as worries grow the incident could trigger more violence and fuel a push to abandon the war-worn country.

"We are deeply concerned by the initial reports of this incident, and are monitoring the situation closely," White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Sunday, after one service member was detained by his unit following an alleged shooting of as many as 16 Afghan civilians in two neighboring villages.

According to a government representative for southern Afghanistan and a member of the delegation that went to investigate the incident, a U.S. service member stationed at a U.S. base in the southern Kandahar province walked off the base around 3 a.m. local time and walked into three homes and started shooting. He then returned to his base where he was arrested.

NATO officials apologized for the shootings but did not confirm that anyone was killed, referring instead to reports of deaths.

"I wish to convey my profound regrets and dismay at the actions apparently taken by one coalition member in Kandahar province, said a statement from Lt. Gen. Adrian Bradshaw, the deputy commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

"One of our soldiers is reported to have killed and injured a number of civilians in villages adjacent to his base. I cannot explain the motivation behind such callous acts, but they were in no way part of authorized ISAF military activity," he said, using the abbreviation for NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

Reports are conflicting as to the number dead as Afghan villagers showed to press photographers bodies covered in blankets as well as burned. Nine children and three women are said to be among the dead. It was unclear how or why the bodies were burned.

The incident comes after some very tense weeks in which riots raged over the accidental improper disposal of Korans that had been defaced by Afghan detainees.

The top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John R. Allen, issued a statement saying that he is "absolutely dedicated to making sure that anyone who is found to have committed wrongdoing is held fully accountable."

The head of the ISAF added that he was "shocked and saddened to hear" about the incident and offered his "profound regret and deepest condolences to the victims and their families."

"I pledge to all the noble people of Afghanistan my commitment to a rapid and thorough investigation," Allen said, adding that the U.S. will maintain custody of the service member, provide medical care to injured Afghans and "cooperate fully with local Afghan authorities as we ascertain all the facts."

"This deeply appalling incident in no way represents the values of ISAF and coalition troops or the abiding respect we feel for the Afghan people. Nor does it impugn or diminish the spirit of cooperation and partnership we have worked so hard to foster with the Afghan National Security Forces," he added.

A senior defense official added that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was "deeply saddened" to hear about the incident and is "closely monitoring reports out of Afghanistan."

The U.S. embassy in Kabul tweeted videotaped condolences in the primary languages of Pashto and Dari. It also warned Americans in the country to beware of the "risk of anti-American feelings and protests in coming days, especially in eastern and southern provinces."

"U.S. citizens in Afghanistan should remain vigilant and avoid areas where Westerners congregate. Avoid large public gatherings or demonstrations. Past demonstrations in Afghanistan have escalated into violent attacks on Western targets of opportunity.

"Do not discuss travel plans or other personal matters with strangers, or in public. Be alert and aware of your surroundings, and always travel with mobile phones or appropriate communication equipment," the warning reads.

The alleged shootings are likely to spark more violence after a calm returned following the Koran burnings of last month. That accidental incident led to more than a week of rioting, which resulted in 30 people dead, including six U.S. service members who were killed by their Afghan colleagues.

The killing of U.S. service members by Afghan forces had already been a major concern in Afghanistan, where since May 2007, 46 "green on blue" attacks -- or Afghan National Security Forces attacks on allied service members -- has reportedly resulted in 76 NATO soldiers killed and an undisclosed number wounded.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai called the attacks an "assassination" and angrily demanded an explanation. Karzai said he spoke with a 15-year-old boy named Rafiullah who was shot in the leg during the incident. The boy described how an American soldier entered his house in the middle of the night, woke up his family and began shooting them.

"This is an assassination, an intentional killing of innocent civilians and cannot be forgiven," Karzai said in a statement that is sure to incite more violence.

As violence erupts, U.S. officials have debated a faster exit strategy from Afghanistan, which is supposed to be left to fend for itself by 2014. In anticipation of that departure, the U.S. and Afghan governments signed a memorandum of understanding recently about the transfer of Afghan detainees to Afghan control -- a key step toward an eventual strategic partnership to govern U.S. forces in the country.

Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the alleged incident cannot be explained "except to extend your deepest sympathy to those victims and see that justice is done."

But, he added, that the U.S. is in Afghanistan because that's where the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, originated.

"If Afghanistan dissolved into a situation where the Taliban were able to take over or a chaotic situation, it could easily return to an al Qaeda base for attacks on the United States of America. That is still our goal, as it was the day we went in," McCain said.

Panjawi, the town where the alleged shootings occurred, is inside a rural Taliban stronghold, and is just south of the birthplace of the militant group's senior leaders, including chief Mullah Omar. Panjawi is a launching point for attacks on neighboring Kandahar city and is a key to securing the province, one of the most difficult battlegrounds in the country.

The Taliban issued a statement on an insurgent website expressing concern for the villagers.

"The so-called American peacekeepers have once again quenched their thirst with the blood of innocent Afghan civilians in Kandahar province," said the statement.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/11/us-offers-condolences-as-us-service-member-investigated-for-alleged-killing/#ixzz1opVWfK8t

If this did in fact happen the way they said he should be tried for Capitol Murder and face the Death Penalty. There is NO excuse for this at all.

But listen to the indignation of Karzai who clams up about any incidents perpetrated by the Taliban!
Should pack up and tell them,Sayonara,Good Bye,BonVoyage!
Nope,there is noexcuse for an Incident like that,but nevertheless,it happens in every war,especially the ones where your Politicians think you ought not to win,but be Politically Correct!

Or look at all the incident's the Afgani Army Soldiers cause. There were 71 ISAF deaths last month because of Afgani Army Soldiers flipping and killing the Soldiers there helping train them.

I don't see the rioting over there when that happens or don't see their President on TV apologizing like our "Apologizer in Chief".

9 childrens died and no one has the gut to condemn it,im sure if it s been made by afghani u would call it terrorist and what disgust me more is some people would try to find excuses and blame someone else,this for me is called it hypocrisy.

Such a sad day for the families of the children.

Yet...

When one steps out as Taliban to exort Afgans to seek Revenge of a Slight by death to the Stranger...

does not Pashtun law expect revenge to come back?

Indeed did it not come back in but half of what was meted out to the Stranger?

Perhaps it is time for Taliban to step back a bit.

And call not for the revenge of the eye for the eye lest another come and we all be blind.

Peace comes only when man wills it.

God but asks...

We choose.

Just another civilian massacre by american troops, no big suprise nothing new here. ....................

Whose fault is it a Tacoma soldier killed 16 in Afghanistan? Don't blame Ron Paul!

Submitted by Stephanie Ealy on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 23:09

The soldier who went on a shooting rampage in Afghanistan leaving 16 dead Sunday is from a Tacoma area base called joint base Lewis-McChord, and as a resident in the area I am mortified, stunned and beside myself seething with anger.

When will the government of the United States wake up? I am personally so angry about this that hot tears are forming in my eyes as I type. Why am I angry? I am angry at the United States government who continues these wars that have no purpose. I am angry at President Barack ObamaBarack Obama for not keeping his campaign promise to bring the troops home.

I feel so very sad and broken for the staff sergeant who mentally lost it and went on a shooting rampage. Empathy overwhelms me his wife and two kids. Most of all, my heart is broken in two for the Afghan families and people trying to pick up the pieces from this horrific event.

Do you know what it is like to live in an area with a huge military base? It is devastating! Common news stories are about another soldier who had been deployed five times and when he heard he had orders for a sixth tour, he committed suicide!!! Another soldier who lost it and killed his son, wife and himself. Another soldier with PTSD who did not get the help he needed committed some crazy crime because he was mentally messed up from watching a friend die in his arms due to a roadside bomb. I could go on and on -- it is unimaginable the amount of frustration that builds to constantly hear these true stories knowing they could have been stopped!

I am angry because a Texas Congressman named Ron Paul has been crying out like a prophet in the wilderness saying, "We must stop these endless, careless wars -- we are not the police of the world -- we need to stay out of the business of other countries' borders and protect our own."

But instead of listening, some call him crazy, discredit him, black him out of the mainstream media. Many say, "I would never vote for Ron Paul because his foreign policy is too radical." Really? It is America's meddling in the business of others that is too radical, not Ron Paul! People have flipped out over the fact that Ron Paul said we caused the 9/11 attacks. Think about it people! We are in THEIR land building embassies and bases all over the world. What would we do if other countries came into our land and tried to set up troops?

America has become the bully of the world! And our soldiers are the poor bullied kids in school who can't take it anymore. Once they get over there in their deployments they see they aren't fighting for America's freedom, they are bombing people for no reason. They are pawns for oil. They are not defending America, they are helping other countries defend their borders. Why do so many of them support Ron Paul? WHY?

Dr. Paul predicted many things about the economy years ago and he is right about his foreign policy, and what does he get for it? Made fun of, mocked, scoffed and practically spit on by many Americans. And in the meantime, another crazy thing happens that angers others in another country because we have no business building bases around the world and defending other people's borders.

What is our responsibility now? It is to help our broken soldiers and bring our troops home! You know, from one of the wars that should have never happened in the first place!

Why are so many asleep? Why are there so many brainwashed and in a trance by the biased mainstream media? We are not that dumb, are we? Open your eyes, get out of your slumber...quit being stupid sheep and following the others over a cliff!

Wake up America -- WAKE UP!

Stephanie Ealy is based in Tacoma, Washington, United States of America, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.

People need to stop volunteering for the war and recruiters need to tell people the truth about the possibility of how many tours they may end up doing.This country has plenty of enlisted men and women even before the war on terrorism began.10 years is long enough it's time to leave.

The actual number of US military personel, both active and inactive, makes up only 3-4 % of the population (that may be less, I can't remember the exact number).

With the odds stacked against them by people WITHOUT A CLUE of the realities of conflict, many of our leaders or wannabe's included, it's no wonder the people, led by the media backed war machine, profiteering corporations, the bankers, the lobbyists, and those who lust for power, will bring this once great nation to collapse!

Just because you can pick up a knife doesn't mean you are capable of brain surgery!

Active duty service in the military should be a prerequisite for elected officials, in or out of a war zone. At least they would have SOME teaching of respect, honor and duty to bring to the table!

You take an oath on enlistment to defend this great nation against ALL enemies foreign and domestic.

It doesn't matter how many tours, or where (as long as a war is LEGALLY and CONSTITUTIONALY declared). You honor your committment, do your duty.

The outrage is when the reasons are not for defense of your beloved country, but for the corporations and special interests who control it and lust for more money and power! These motivations lack honor, promote chaos, always end badly!

There is no pride, no accomplishment in the undeclared "forever wars"! Only chaos, hate, greed, corruption and confusion. NOBODY WINS!