Posted on 09/16/2009 7:02:22 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
NATO-led forces are investigating the death of four Marines in eastern Afghanistan after their commanders reportedly rejected requests for artillery fire in a battle with insurgents, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. Tuesday's incident was "under investigation" and details remained unclear, press secretary Geoff Morrell told a news conference. A McClatchy newspapers' journalist who witnessed the battle reported that a team of Marine trainers made repeated appeals for air and artillery support after being pinned down by insurgents in the village of Ganjgal in eastern Kunar province. The U.S. troops had to wait more than an hour for attack helicopters to come to their aid and their appeal for artillery fire was rejected, with commanders citing new rules designed to avoid civilian casualties, the report said.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
You back commanders who weren’t there over men who were and requested cover but didn’t get it. As a result, 4 good men died.
And you call me ‘crazy’, ‘stupid’ and a ‘scumbag’?
Quite a display you’re putting on.
I’d say that someone who, without having any facts about a situation, claims that a group of Marine Officers were complicit in the deaths of their men on the ground deserves the titles that I gave you (and then some).
I’d say that someone who, with the facts that Marines on the ground called for help and didn’t get it from their commanders resulting in 4 good men dying, deserves the titles you so freely give to others (and then some).
Updated link to #108:
U.N. Lawyers Target U.S. Troops
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=505775
article says the insurgent force was attacking from the mountain, not the village.
“Eight Afghan soldiers and police and an Afghan interpreter also died in the battle, which lasted for hours with insurgents unleashing a barrage of gunfire and rockets from mountain positions, the report said.”
The article also seems to indicate that the US elements weren’t in the city where the civilians would presumably be.
“...the coalition and Afghan forces were ambushed as they approached the outskirts of the hamlet at dawn, the report said.”
Sounds to me like someone has some explaining to do, someone with a bar or maybe even two stuck on their helmet would be my guess.
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