General Is Said to Think Afghan Hospital Airstrike Broke US Rules - nytimes

Gen. John F. Campbell told lawmakers that the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz was “mistakenly struck” as a result of “a U.S. decision made within the U.S. chain of command.”

The American commander in Afghanistan now believes that United States troops probably did not follow their own rules in calling in the airstrike that decimated a Doctors Without Borders hospital when no American and Afghan troops were in extreme danger, according to officials with direct knowledge of the general’s thinking.

Under the rules, airstrikes are authorized to kill terrorists, protect American troops and help Afghans who request support in battles — like those in Kunduz, recently taken over by the Taliban — that can change the military landscape. The idea is to give troops leeway but keep Americans out of daily, open-ended combat.

Regardless of what mistake may have been made, General Campbell told a Senate committee on Tuesday that the strike was ultimately the result of “a U.S. decision made within the U.S. chain of command.” He took responsibility for the sustained bombardment of the medical facility, which he said took place in response to an Afghan call for help.

“Obviously, the investigation is still underway, but Campbell’s thinking now is that the Americans on the ground did not follow the rules of engagement fully,” said one of three American officials, all of whom emphasized that no final conclusions had been reached and that the inquiry could yield different reasons for what transpired.

In his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Campbell offered few new details about the attack, which lasted for more than a half-hour and killed 22 patients and hospital staff members in northern Afghanistan on Saturday.

The general said a fuller accounting of what took place would come out through an investigation now underway. “I must allow the investigation to take its course,” he said.

But he hinted at his concerns when he told senators that “to prevent any future incidences of this nature, I’ve directed the entire force to undergo in-depth training in order to review all of our operational authorities and rules of engagement.”

After days of shifting and at times ambiguous American statements about the airstrike, which Doctors Without Borders has likened to a war crime, the general was as direct on Tuesday as any official has been to date.  “A hospital was mistakenly struck,” he said.

The general said the military had received a request for air support from Afghan troops fighting to retake Kunduz from the Taliban.  “Even though the Afghans request that support,” he said, “it still has to go through a rigorous U.S. procedure.” 

The Republicans on the committee left little doubt that they believe the administration’s withdrawal plan would leave the Afghans dangerously exposed to their enemies. General Campbell was clear that he, too, would prefer to keep as many troops in Afghanistan for as long as possible. - Read More at NYT

Watch: General’s Testimony

General Is Said to Think Afghan Hospital Airstrike Broke U.S. Rules

Taliban Gain Advantage in Tug of War in Kunduz