10A
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MILITARY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U. S. Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani arrives at a preliminary hearing. Chessani is charged with violation of a lawful order and dereliction of duty at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Photo evidence debated in hearing
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.
— A Marine Corps colonel overseeing a demotion hearing for an officer accused of failing to investigate the deaths of 24 Iraqi men, women and children considered Wednesday whether photos of the dead people should be allowed as evidence.
The administrative hearing for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani of Rangeley,Colo.,began at Camp Pendleton four years after the 2005 killings of the men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq.
A three-member military panel
will determine if Chessani should be demoted in retirement, which his civilian attorney said could cost him and his wife a half-million dollars in lost pension, health and retirement benefits. The couple is expecting their seventh child.
Chessani had been charged with dereliction of duty for falling to investigate the killings, which occurred after one Marine was wounded and two others killed by a roadside bomb.
However, a judge at Camp Pendleton dismissed the charges because of improper contact between a general overseeing the case and an investigator.
NATO rallies behind Obama's plan
INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A British soldier with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) knelws on the ground while patrolling in Sangin district of Helmand province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. Wednesday, Britain will bring more troops to Afghanistan.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS — President Barack Obama won flattering words but little solid firepower from European allies for his new Afghanistan strategy Wednesday, as small countries pitched in small troop reinforcements but bigger armies held back.
The chief of NATO rallied behind Obama's plan to send 30,000 more forces to Afghanistan, pledging 5,000 more from other NATO members.
Poland was the biggest European ally to offer more forces after Obama's Tuesday speech, in an apparent bid for more attention from a U.S. administration sometimes seen as too removed from Europe's concerns.
"This is not just America's war," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said — yet in many capitals, including Paris and Berlin, the answer to Obama's plea was, "Let's wait and see."
European countries are cool to sending more soldiers to a war that often looks unwinnable and supporting an Afghan government tainted by corruption and election fraud. Some leaders are looking to an international conference on Afghanistan in London next month before promising any
"The United States has lost a bit of its credibility as a leader. Many leaders, both European and non-European, feel that because of domestic political reasons, Obama is not
and police. Some countries that committed no troops may later come up with police trainers or money for civilian projects instead.
"It is absolutely crucial for our strategy that the Afghans start to take control of security."
"It is absolutely crucial for our strategy that the Afghans start to
Much of the European reaction Wednesday focused on the need for a political solution and to bolster Afghanistan's own army
willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary in order to win," said Florentino Portero, professor of the National Open University in Madrid. He said Obama's call for 30,000 troops was not enough to defeat the Taliban.
GORDON BROWN British Prime Minister
take control of security as soon as possible," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.
Britain announced before Obama's speech it is sending 500 more troops to Afghanistan, bringing its numbers there to 10,000.
Poland led the European offers Wednesday of combat troops. A Polish official said the government will likely send 600 combat-ready reinforcements, mainly for patrolling and training to beef up its existing 2,000-strong contingent in Afghanistan. The offer needs approval from Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Cabinet and from President Lech Kaczynski.
It's a hefty and costly contribution for a country of Poland's size.
"It's one of the biggest investments in Afghanistan, and in a mission most Poles oppose," said Marcin Zaborowski of the European Union Institute for
security Studies "This is a major gesture of solidarity"
Zaborowski saidPolandhopes Washington will consider its help in Afghanistan as a reminder to "respect your friends, a little
"The United States has lost a bit of its credibility as a leader."
100 more troops to add to 535 approved for deployment next year. The offer would need parliament's go-ahead.
Spain's El País daily said the defense ministry was considering sending 200 more soldiers to its
more, especially those friends who can deliver"
The Czech Defense Ministry floated the possibility of sending
Albania also stepped up Wednesday, pledging 85 troops to add to its 235-strong presence. Macedonia's president promised to deploy an extra 80 soldiers in February, raising the strength of its contingent of 250.
FLORENTINO PORTERO
Professor,
National Open
University
contingent of 1,000.
Italy promised to do its part — “to save NATO's credibility,” Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said — but gave no troop pledges. Finland said it would consider next week whether to reinforce troops.
French President
French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Obama's speech as "courageous" but gave no hint of sending more soldiers. Sarkozy said recently he would not expand the 4,000-strong French force in Afghanistan, and French presidential spokesman Luc Chatel said Sarkozy wanted more time to respond to a U.S. request for 1,500 more French troops.
Wi
senio
freshen
have
been
nailin
year.
13.3 p
steals