KABUL, Afghanistan?Reflecting urgent concern over the problem of ?insider? attacks, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged President Hamid Karzai to tighten the vetting of Afghan recruits, while the Western military ordered troops to keep their weapons loaded even when on base, Afghan and NATO officials said Sunday.
There have been several attacks this month on Western troops by Afghan allies, and both sides are taking steps to stop them. The U.S. commander of Western forces, Marine Gen. John Allen, ordered the nationwide change in weapons status for NATO troops last week, after six U.S. Marines were shot dead by Afghans in two separate incidents in Helmand province on April 10, Western officials said.
Karzai, who spoke with Panetta by phone on Saturday, has expressed condolences over ?insider? attacks. But the issue is clearly a sensitive one for Afghan and U.S. officials alike, with both publicly emphasizing the importance of the ongoing partnership of Western and Afghan troops. In a message marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Allen praised the ?capable and professional? Afghan security forces.
???
?2012 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
_____
Topics: t000194030,t000003763,t000190266
Source: http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/aug/19/panetta-wants-afghanistan-to-do-more-to-stop/
davy jones love actually miesha tate vs ronda rousey idiocracy deep impact usssa baseball alex o loughlin
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.