Report blames US military leadership over Afghan outpost ambush that left 8 Americans dead
By APFriday, February 5, 2010
US military leaders faulted over Afghan ambush
KABUL — The U.S. military has blamed its leadership for a series of bad decisions contributing to an ambush of a remote outpost that killed eight American soldiers and three Afghans.
An investigation into the Oct. 3 attack on Combat Outpost Keating in the northeastern mountains says junior leaders “fought heroically” in repelling a force “five times their size.”
But the report released Friday recommended administrative actions “to address shortcomings in command oversight” that contributed to the attack.
It says critical intelligence and other assets had been diverted to assist combat operations in other areas and needed force protection improvements were not made because the outpost was due to be closed.
The report says about 150 militants also were killed.
