U.S. to let Afghan massacre "facts take them where they may"
- 12 years ago
General John Allen, the head of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan says the U.S. will let the facts in the investigation into the killing of 17 Afghan civilians this month quote "take them where they may."
U.S. Army Sergeant Robert Bales, a decorated 38-year-old veteran of four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was charged last week with 17 counts of murder in the incident.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS GENERAL JOHN ALLEN, , SAYING:
"I can assure you that the investigators have and will retain my full support to let the facts take them where they may. We must let the investigative and judicial processes play out in their own time, in accordance with our own regulations."
At a Pentagon news conference, Allen also spoke of one of the latest "insider" attacks by rogue Afghan personnel against Western troops. On Monday an Afghan army soldier killed two British troops at their headquarters in southern Afghanistan on Monday. The attacker was shot dead by NATO soldiers.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS GENERAL JOHN ALLEN, , SAYING:
"I'm not saying things are perfect, and much work remains to be done. But for every bribe accepted, and for every insider threat or what is known as a green-on-blue incident - and I think you're aware that, tragically, we had one overnight, as two young British soldiers were killed in the Helmand province - for every one Afghan soldier that doesn't return from leave, I can cite hundreds of other examples where they do perform their duties, where the partnership is strong, the confidence of the Afghan forces is building, and where the trust and confidence we have in them and that they have in themselves grows steadily."
Later on Monday NATO reported that another NATO soldier was killed by Afghan police in Eastern Afghanistan.
Insider attacks have mounted recently as tension between Afghanistan and its foreign backers rises over a series of incidents, including the burning of Korans at a NATO base.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.
U.S. Army Sergeant Robert Bales, a decorated 38-year-old veteran of four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was charged last week with 17 counts of murder in the incident.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS GENERAL JOHN ALLEN, , SAYING:
"I can assure you that the investigators have and will retain my full support to let the facts take them where they may. We must let the investigative and judicial processes play out in their own time, in accordance with our own regulations."
At a Pentagon news conference, Allen also spoke of one of the latest "insider" attacks by rogue Afghan personnel against Western troops. On Monday an Afghan army soldier killed two British troops at their headquarters in southern Afghanistan on Monday. The attacker was shot dead by NATO soldiers.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS GENERAL JOHN ALLEN, , SAYING:
"I'm not saying things are perfect, and much work remains to be done. But for every bribe accepted, and for every insider threat or what is known as a green-on-blue incident - and I think you're aware that, tragically, we had one overnight, as two young British soldiers were killed in the Helmand province - for every one Afghan soldier that doesn't return from leave, I can cite hundreds of other examples where they do perform their duties, where the partnership is strong, the confidence of the Afghan forces is building, and where the trust and confidence we have in them and that they have in themselves grows steadily."
Later on Monday NATO reported that another NATO soldier was killed by Afghan police in Eastern Afghanistan.
Insider attacks have mounted recently as tension between Afghanistan and its foreign backers rises over a series of incidents, including the burning of Korans at a NATO base.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.