Mourners carried the body of one of the soldiers killed in the airstrike near Falluja on Friday.
(Photo: Haidar Hamdani/AFP/Getty Images)
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.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
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.
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.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.