Washington-
— A military investigation into a deadly battle in eastern Afghanistan could lead to punishment of up to three US Army officers amid allegations of "negligence," officials said on Friday.
US defence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP a Central Command investigation faults three officers, including a battalion commander, for their role and suggests possible disciplinary action.
Nine soldiers were killed and 27 wounded in the July 2008 battle when about 200 Taliban-
fighters broke through American lines and nearly overwhelmed a remote outpost in Wanat.
The battle in rugged terrain near the Pakistani-
border prompted allegations that commanding officers made careless decisions and raised wider questions about Washington's strategy in the Afghan war.
Commanders of the NATO-led force have since shifted their focus to deploying troops in more populated areas, concluding that missions in remote villages such as Wanat make little lasting impact in the fight against the Taliban.
The investigators did not find that major mistakes were made during the battle but focused on decisions and actions prior to the Taliban attack, US officials said.
The results of the probe have been handed over to Army Secretary John McHugh, his office said in a statement on Friday.
McHugh ordered the head of the largest Army command, General Charles Campbell, to "review the recommendations and take action as he deems appropriate with regard to Army personnel identified in the report."
A U.S.-
Army spokesman declined to comment on the details of the probe, which followed a previous army investigation.
"We remain in close contact with the families of our fallen from this battle, and they will be invited to a comprehensive briefing on the investigation following General Campbell's actions," McHugh said in the statement.
Family members of the US soldiers killed in Wanat had previously urged a thorough investigation into the circumstances around the battle.
US Senator Jim Webb of Virginia had also appealed for further examination of the battle after he learned of "allegations of negligence at senior levels in the chain of command."
One of the dead soldier's parents, retired army colonel David Brostrom, has reportedly voiced concerns that the outpost was poorly managed and senior officers had intelligence on an impending attack.
The Washington Post and other media have reported soldiers at Wanat were short of water and sandbags to fortify their positions on a rocky mountainside. Commanders had also withdrawn a drone aircraft tracking insurgents in the area for tasks elsewhere.
The battle at Wanat remains one of the deadliest for the Americans in the eight-year-old Afghan war.
Source:AFP
Showing posts with label 300 Pendleton Marines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 300 Pendleton Marines. Show all posts
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
300 Pendleton Marines return from Afghanistan
About 300 Marines from the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment were expected to return home last night after completing a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan.
The battalion was attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Its members served in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
More troops from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines will continue returning in waves all week, Camp Pendleton officials said.
In an October newsletter to Marine families, battalion commander Lt. Col. Bill McCollough wrote: “We continue to make improvements to the district and bring this area closer to self-sufficiency.”
McCollough said that under his troops’ watch, schools and a clinic were opened, foot bridges were installed over canals, roads were made safer for travel and wheat seeds were distributed so farmers could grow crops other than opium poppies.
“Those that want to harm us and derail these efforts are being killed, captured or marginalized,” he said.
Jeanette Steele
USD to show video feed from climate conference
SAN DIEGO: The University of San Diego will host a forum Thursday that features a live discussion with the state’s delegates to the global warming conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Carl Nettleton, a San Diego-based expert on oceans, will moderate the panel with John Lormon, a veteran environmental lawyer in the region. The panelists are expected to include some of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s top deputies, including Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman.
Organizers bill the event as the only public, live discussion from the conference with the state’s climate team. It will be shown by video feed at the university’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, 5998 Alcala Park, in the Linda Vista neighborhood of San Diego.
The program will start at 7:30 a.m. Admission is $15 for people who preregister and $20 at the door. For more information, go to procopio.com/events.
Mike Lee
Dry, sunny weather expected to last awhile
The county is entering an extended period of dry and sunny weather after coming off its rainiest week in a year.
“We’re pretty much doing a complete flip-flop,” said Mark Moede, a forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Temperatures should gradually rise through Friday — for both the coast and inland valleys. Highs at the beaches are expected to reach the mid-60s today, then slowly climb to the low 70s. The inland valleys could see temperatures in the high 70s by Friday.
Lindbergh Field, San Diego’s official weather station, recorded only a trace of rain yesterday morning. But it got 2.23 inches from Dec. 7 through Sunday. That made the week the wettest in town since December 2008 and pushed the season total (since July 1) to 2.35 inches. The 30-year average for July 1 through Dec. 15 is 2.38 inches.
Many spots in the county were far wetter last week. Valley Center recorded 4.11 inches, Julian received 6.46 and Palomar Mountain got a whopping 9.39.
Moede said high pressure is building over the region and no more storms are on the horizon. The current dry pattern should hold through at least Christmas Eve, he said.
Source:signonsandiego.com/
The battalion was attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Its members served in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
More troops from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines will continue returning in waves all week, Camp Pendleton officials said.
In an October newsletter to Marine families, battalion commander Lt. Col. Bill McCollough wrote: “We continue to make improvements to the district and bring this area closer to self-sufficiency.”
McCollough said that under his troops’ watch, schools and a clinic were opened, foot bridges were installed over canals, roads were made safer for travel and wheat seeds were distributed so farmers could grow crops other than opium poppies.
“Those that want to harm us and derail these efforts are being killed, captured or marginalized,” he said.
Jeanette Steele
USD to show video feed from climate conference
SAN DIEGO: The University of San Diego will host a forum Thursday that features a live discussion with the state’s delegates to the global warming conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Carl Nettleton, a San Diego-based expert on oceans, will moderate the panel with John Lormon, a veteran environmental lawyer in the region. The panelists are expected to include some of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s top deputies, including Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman.
Organizers bill the event as the only public, live discussion from the conference with the state’s climate team. It will be shown by video feed at the university’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, 5998 Alcala Park, in the Linda Vista neighborhood of San Diego.
The program will start at 7:30 a.m. Admission is $15 for people who preregister and $20 at the door. For more information, go to procopio.com/events.
Mike Lee
Dry, sunny weather expected to last awhile
The county is entering an extended period of dry and sunny weather after coming off its rainiest week in a year.
“We’re pretty much doing a complete flip-flop,” said Mark Moede, a forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Temperatures should gradually rise through Friday — for both the coast and inland valleys. Highs at the beaches are expected to reach the mid-60s today, then slowly climb to the low 70s. The inland valleys could see temperatures in the high 70s by Friday.
Lindbergh Field, San Diego’s official weather station, recorded only a trace of rain yesterday morning. But it got 2.23 inches from Dec. 7 through Sunday. That made the week the wettest in town since December 2008 and pushed the season total (since July 1) to 2.35 inches. The 30-year average for July 1 through Dec. 15 is 2.38 inches.
Many spots in the county were far wetter last week. Valley Center recorded 4.11 inches, Julian received 6.46 and Palomar Mountain got a whopping 9.39.
Moede said high pressure is building over the region and no more storms are on the horizon. The current dry pattern should hold through at least Christmas Eve, he said.
Source:signonsandiego.com/
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