US Military Faults Leaders in Deadly Attack on Base, The New York Times, 5 February 2010
EXCERPT: "The United States military on Friday issued a long-awaited report on how insurgents managed to overrun an American Army combat outpost and kill eight soldiers last October in one of the worst single ground attacks in recent years. Family members of the dead were notified about the results of the investigation on Thursday. They were told that 'the report also recommended administrative actions for some members of the chain of command to improve command oversight.' Citing privacy reasons, the military did not reveal what those actions were or who was penalized. The base, Combat Outpost Keating in the Kamdesh District of Nuristan Province, was attacked by insurgent forces on Oct. 3. Because the outpost was located in a deep bowl surrounded by high ground, the attackers were able to pin down defenders and prevent them from using mortars to repel the initial attack. In addition, air support was at least 45 minutes away. A second, smaller outpost nearby was also struck by the attackers."
Read the full story.
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