memeorandum: US soldier kills Afghans in shooting spree (AJE

3:40 PM ET, March 11, 2012

Top Items:

BBC:

US soldier kills Afghan civilians in Kandahar — Tensions were already high in Afghanistan after the burning of Korans at a US base — A US soldier in Afghanistan has killed at least 16 civilians and wounded five after entering their homes in Kandahar province, senior local officials say.

Discussion: The Long War Journal, Little Green Footballs, The Jawa Report, msnbc.com, Sister Toldjah, Scared Monkeys, The Mahablog, The Raw Story, americanthinker.com and Vox Popoli

New York Times:

American Is Held After Shooting of Civilians in Afghanistan — KABUL, Afghanistan — The United States military said on Sunday one of its service members had been detained after an apparent shooting incident in southern Afghanistan that local officials said had left at least three civilians dead.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Dish, The Last Tradition, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, Booman Tribune, Gothamist and Gretawire

AJE - Al Jazeera English:

US soldier kills Afghans in shooting spree — Soldier opens fire on civilians in three separate homes near military base in Kandahar province before surrendering. — A US soldier has killed more than a dozen civilians in a shooting spree in southern Afghanistan before being detained, officials say.

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, The PJ Tatler, msnbc.com, Balloon Juice and The Agonist

Ahmad Nadem / Reuters:

Western forces kill 15 civilians in Afghanistan: Kabul government — (Reuters) - Coalition forces killed 15 civilians in a shooting spree in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province on Sunday, the defense ministry said, in an incident likely to deepen the growing divide between Washington and Kabul.

Discussion: ABCNEWS and Gawker

Ahmad Nadem / Trust.org:

Western forces kill 16 civilians in Afghanistan - Kabul govt — Western forces shot dead 16 civilians including nine children in southern Kandahar province on Sunday, Afghan officials said, in a rampage that witnesses said was carried out by American soldiers who were laughing and appeared drunk.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Washington Post

Washington Post:

U.S. soldier detained after opening fire on Afghans; at least 16 killed — KABUL— An American soldier wandered outside his base in a remote southern Afghan village shortly before dawn Sunday and opened fire on civilians inside homes, killing at least 16, Afghan and U.S. officials said.

Discussion: American Power, emptywheel and Hot Air

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill: Officials: US soldier detained after shooting of Afghan civilians

Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:

Gibbs: Romney loss in Kansas shows he's not ‘inevitable’ nominee — A top Obama campaign official sought to cast doubt Sunday on the idea that Romney is the “inevitable” Republican nominee. — Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary, took aim at Romney over his second-place finish …

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Ballot Box and GOP 12

Rick Pearson / Chicago Tribune:
Poll: Romney slightly ahead of Santorum in Illinois

Discussion: CNN, Politico, Scared Monkeys and Los Angeles Times

Ben Terris / NationalJournal.com:
Santorum: 'I'd Like Everybody to Get Out' — Rick Santorum needs …

Discussion: The Raw Story

Sam Baker / The Hill:
Santorum: Romney doesn't ‘tell the truth’ to voters on healthcare

Discussion: Politico, CNN and Prairie Weather

Washington Post:
Santorum wins Kansas caucuses, Romney wins Wyoming

Discussion: Esquire, Don Surber and Crooks and Liars

John Hoeffel / Los Angeles Times:
Rick Santorum wins Kansas caucuses

Discussion: Mediaite, Hot Air and Associated Press

Colleen McCain Nelson / Wall Street Journal:
Santorum Wins Kansas; Romney Takes Wyoming

Discussion: americanthinker.com and New York Times

WESH-TV:

Grayson Involved In Crash With Lynx Bus — Campaign Event Held In Downtown Orlando — ORLANDO, Fla. — Former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson crashed into a Lynx bus in downtown Orlando about noon Saturday. — Grayson was traveling to an upscale fundraising event for his Congressional campaign.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, Mediaite and RedState

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

Op-Ed Columnist: The Responsible Republicans — WITH Super Tuesday in the books, the time has come to praise that most mocked, maligned and misunderstood of Americans: the Republican primary voter. — The longer the primary campaign drags on, the more its noise and nastiness are being cited …

Discussion: Booman Tribune and The Reality-Based Community

Associated Press:

At Least 10 Killed as Suicide Bomber Attacks Catholic Church During Mass — Car bomb explodes near Nigeria church; 10 killed — JOS, Nigeria (AP) — A suicide car bomber attacked a Catholic church Sunday in the middle of Mass, killing at least 10 people in the latest violence targeting …

Discussion: The Last Tradition, Weasel Zippers and Atlas Shrugs

Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:

Mitt Romney's Humor: An Appreciation — Unlike most politicians' attempts to be funny, Romney's sense of humor is dark, dry, self-deprecating and a little subversive. Maybe that's why he never gets credit for it. — When Mitt Romney, campaigning in Mississippi on Friday, said “y'all,” …

Discussion: Politico

Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:

Analysts: White House, Congress have little control over gas prices — Federal policymakers have few options to lower gas prices in the short-term, according to energy analysts. — The recent run-up is fueling election-year political battles and thrusting White House energy policy into the spotlight …

Discussion: The Political Carnival and Prairie Weather

Brabantio / Media Matters for America:

Limbaugh's Advertiser Exodus Expands Exponentially — Radio-Info.com reported on Friday that 98 advertisers have told Premiere Radio Networks, which syndicates Rush Limbaugh's radio show, that they want to avoid advertising on Limbaugh's show and other programs with content “deemed to be offensive or controversial”:

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Oliver Willis, Prairie Weather and The Daily Caller