US Investigation of Airstrike Deaths ‘Deeply Flawed’ | Human Rights Watch

Afghanistan: US Investigation of Airstrike Deaths ‘Deeply Flawed’ Human Rights Watch:

"(New York, January 15, 2009) - The US military's investigation into deadly and controversial airstrikes in Azizabad in Afghanistan in August 2008 was deeply flawed, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

On October 1, 2008, the Department of Defense published a summary of a report by Brig. Gen. Michael Callan of its investigations into US airstrikes on the village of Azizabad in Herat province on August 21-22, 2008. Since that time, Human Rights Watch has conducted additional research into the events surrounding the Azizabad airstrikes, reviewed the facts presented in the summary, and analyzed the Callan investigation's methodology.

'The weaknesses in the Callan investigation call into question the Defense Department's commitment to avoid civilian casualties,' said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. 'Unless the new Obama administration urgently addresses the US military's airstrike practices in Afghanistan, more unnecessary civilian deaths and injuries will result.'.."