U.S. SAYS STRIKE ON AFGHANISTAN HOSPITAL WASN'T WAR CRIME

The Pentagon has disciplined 16 military personnel over the “accidental” airstrike on a hospital in Kunduz Afghanistan  that killed 42 people last October.

General Joseph L. Votel on Friday delivered a summary of a report about the investigation and said the attack was the result of human error and process and equipment failure. While the trauma center was supported by Medecins Sans Frontieres-Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the strike was authorized by the ground force commander as a self-defense decision to protect both American and Afghan troops, said Votel.

The 16 service members in question have not been suspended and won’t face criminal charges, but they did receive administrative punishments, including denial of promotion or advancement, extensive retraining and letters of reprimand, which could result in possible separation from the service, said Votel. They have not been named because some of the individuals remain assigned to overseas units, but their positions include several special operations personnel, a general officer and a two-star general. 

The attack was launched 39 minutes earlier than expected, but service members did not have time to prepare and check for no-strike locations, said Votel. A radio signal also failed, resulting in miscommunication, and many involved in the attack were heavily fatigued, he said. “Fatigue and high operational tempo also contributed to the incident,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “These factors contributed to the ‘fog of war,’ which is the uncertainty often encountered during combat operations.” - Read More at the Newsweek

U.S. Says Strike on Kunduz Hospital Wasn't War Crime