Friday, July 31, 2009

Did Bad Decisions Set Stage For 9 U.S. Deaths In Afghanistan?

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(Image from Army Times)

From McClatchy News:

In the days before one of the fiercest battles in America's eight-year war in Afghanistan, Army Capt. Benjamin Pry argued for more surveillance flights to help his beleaguered unit of fewer than 50 soldiers.

Since moving into a new outpost on July 8, 2008, they had struggled with shortages of water, fuel, food and heavy machinery to help defend against an enemy attack that they believed would eventually come. Lacking excavating equipment, the troops dug fortifications by scraping the rocky soil with spades and bare hands.

Then on July 12, headquarters commanders diverted drones — remotely operated planes outfitted with cameras to spot enemy movements — to another area. Pry argued so hard to undo that decision that he said he breached professional etiquette. Still, he was unsuccessful.

Read more ....

My Comment: To read more on this battle and the U.S. Military's report/analysis on it, I recommend the following post at the Captain's Journal.

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