US Commanders Are Called Incompetent In Afghan Battle Of Wanat

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Battle of Wanat. Image from Army Times

Report: US Commanders 'Incompetent' Over Nine Soldiers Killed In Afghan Battle Of Wanat -- The Telegraph

An unpublished report into one of the US Army's darkest days, when nine soldiers were killed by the Taliban at a remote Afghan outpost, has branded their commanders incompetent.

The official report into the battle of Wanat, on July 13 last year, describes the bravery of soldiers who kept fighting even after they were hit. One mortally wounded soldier continued to pass ammunition as he lay dying, and his comrades' bravery and professionalism ensured that the outpost was never overrun.

But cocksure officers conducted themselves so poorly before the battle that they angered the local villagers whom they were supposed to win over, the report states.

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Update: Wanat (VIII): An Army report finds a major COIN failure -- Foreign Policy

My Comment: No holds are barred in this report. It is scathing and highly critical of the commanders responsible for this FOB. It is a warning sign that some U.S. commanders may not be following counter insurgency doctrine, and if they are not they are endangering the lives of soldiers and the civilian population.

I expect the blogosphere to be discussing this extensively in the next few days, and I will have a complete wrap-up of this story at that time.