"This does not mean security forces should go soft on tigers. On the contrary, tigers must be totally wiped out in order to advance a good political solution based on ethnic diversification and ethnic integration."

by Thomas Johnpulle

(January 03, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The conduct of Sri Lankan armed forces has been exemplary. Theres no argument about that. Civilian casualties as claimed by the mouthpiece of Tamil Tigers carries very little credibility and the whole world knows that. Accidental civilian casualties of the Vanni operation cannot be measured against idealistic yardsticks. The Sri Lankan Air Force is technologically too insignificant compared to the mighty United States Air Force and the Israeli Air Force, yet SLAF has a lower rate of civilian casualties.
This is remarkable and must be appreciated by all those who are genuinely concerned about civilian safety. Targets taken by SLAF are all carefully documented, corroborated by an array of intel and timed to minimise collateral damage. Often hardcore self-proclaimed patriots demand what they call carpet bombing, whatever the term means. However, SLAF has always exercised restraint to save as many civilians as possible. Given the unfortunate plight of Vanni civilians who are nothing but cannon fodder or at the very best human shields for their captors, completely alleviating civilian casualties is not possible.

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