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'These Things Happen,' Says Defense Chief of Attack That Killed Iraqi Allies
Ash Carter on Saturday admitted the airstrike that killed roughly 10 Iraqi soldiers was a 'mistake'
Dec 19, 2015
A U.S. military attack that killed nearly a dozen Iraqi soldier allies was a "mistake," Defense Secretary Ash Carter admitted on Saturday.
"These kinds of things happen when you're fighting side by side as we are," Carter told reporters of Friday's airstrike near Falluja, which killed an estimated 10 people.
One U.S. military official told CBS that the attack was reportedly made in coordination with Iraqi forces and that bad weather could have been a factor in the accident. "The folks on the ground who we were communicating with were closer to the targeting area than we understood," the official said.
CBS continues:
Asked if he was worried the deaths might further anger Iraqi citizens who may not be happy with the American and coalition presence in Iraq, Carter said, "I hope Iraqis will understand that this is a reflection of things that happen in combat. But it's also a reflection of how closely we are working with the government" of Iraq.
No other details of the attack were provided, though a U.S. military statement indicated it was one of a number of strikes that occurred that day.
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Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
A U.S. military attack that killed nearly a dozen Iraqi soldier allies was a "mistake," Defense Secretary Ash Carter admitted on Saturday.
"These kinds of things happen when you're fighting side by side as we are," Carter told reporters of Friday's airstrike near Falluja, which killed an estimated 10 people.
One U.S. military official told CBS that the attack was reportedly made in coordination with Iraqi forces and that bad weather could have been a factor in the accident. "The folks on the ground who we were communicating with were closer to the targeting area than we understood," the official said.
CBS continues:
Asked if he was worried the deaths might further anger Iraqi citizens who may not be happy with the American and coalition presence in Iraq, Carter said, "I hope Iraqis will understand that this is a reflection of things that happen in combat. But it's also a reflection of how closely we are working with the government" of Iraq.
No other details of the attack were provided, though a U.S. military statement indicated it was one of a number of strikes that occurred that day.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
A U.S. military attack that killed nearly a dozen Iraqi soldier allies was a "mistake," Defense Secretary Ash Carter admitted on Saturday.
"These kinds of things happen when you're fighting side by side as we are," Carter told reporters of Friday's airstrike near Falluja, which killed an estimated 10 people.
One U.S. military official told CBS that the attack was reportedly made in coordination with Iraqi forces and that bad weather could have been a factor in the accident. "The folks on the ground who we were communicating with were closer to the targeting area than we understood," the official said.
CBS continues:
Asked if he was worried the deaths might further anger Iraqi citizens who may not be happy with the American and coalition presence in Iraq, Carter said, "I hope Iraqis will understand that this is a reflection of things that happen in combat. But it's also a reflection of how closely we are working with the government" of Iraq.
No other details of the attack were provided, though a U.S. military statement indicated it was one of a number of strikes that occurred that day.
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