US generals forced to retire over Taliban attack

[Mikal]

The head of the US Marine Corps has ordered two generals to retire because they failed to defend Camp Bastion in Afghanistan from a Taliban attack.

Gen James Amos said Maj Gen Charles Gurganus and Maj Gen Gregg A Sturdevant "did not take adequate force protection measures" to stop the 2012 assault.

Two Marines died and eight other personnel were wounded.

The Taliban also destroyed six Marine Harrier fighter jets and badly damaged several others.

Fourteen of the 15 attackers were killed and one was captured. US Marines and UK Royal Air Force gunners were involved in the counter-attack.

In June, Gen Amos asked US Central Command to carry out an investigation and said he decided to take action against the two generals after reviewing the results of that inquiry.

Endorsing the inquiry's findings, Gen Amos wrote: "While I am mindful of the degree of difficulty the Marines in Afghanistan faced in accomplishing a demanding combat mission with a rapidly declining force, my duty requires me to remain true to the timeless axioms relating to command responsibility and accountability."

He added that Gen Gurganus bore "final accountability" for the lives and equipment under his command, and had made "an error in judgment" in underestimating the risk posed by the Taliban in the Bastion area of Helmand province.

Gen Amos said that Gen Sturdevant - who was in charge of Marine aviation in the region - "did not adequately assess the force protection situation".

Gen Amos asked both men to retire on Monday, speaking personally to Gen Gurganus at the Pentagon and by video conference to Gen Sturdevant, a Marine Corps official told Reuters news agency.

Both men agreed to the request, the official added.

Gen Amos also recommended to the Navy secretary that Gen Gurganus' nomination for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General be rescinded and that Gen Sturdevant receive a letter of censure.

Correspondents say it is a rare public reprimand of senior US military officers.

Following the announcement, Gen Gurganus issued a brief statement saying he felt privileged to have served in the Marine Corps for 37 years.

"I will treasure that forever. I have complete trust and confidence in the leadership of our Corps and fully respect the decision of our commandant," he said.

Bastion is one of the biggest camps in Afghanistan with a perimeter of 37km (22 miles).

The biggest military base in Afghanistan and they failed to stop an invasion by 15 untrained rag heads?
Thats some good military work right there.

[Jesse_Garver]

it happens and its an honorable discharge anyway they were probably forced to retire for health reasons

[SugarD]

...by 15 untrained people?

Many terrorists are actually trained quite hard. They also commonly plan carefully before attacks, investigating the victim site for quite some time, searching for any of its security holes. Granted, not all terrorists are trained, but usually ones from very large groups like the Taliban are.

[Chris_Knight]

Not to mention how Talibans blow troops to left and right with they mines .

[Alfreddo.]

Talibans terrorists are so well trained.

[SugarD]

Talibans terrorists are so well trained.

Many of these larger groups are, as they have organized themselves under a common goal, and have realized that they need to be well-prepared in many areas to be successful...similar to the focus of a country's military forces and their training.

[Alfreddo.]

Many of these larger groups are, as they have organized themselves under a common goal, and have realized that they need to be well-prepared in many areas to be successful...similar to the focus of a country's military forces and their training.

Agree.

[Petarda]

good news

[SugarD]

Compared to the training of modern military forces they have about as much training as a kid playing cops and robbers in a house with a plastic BB gun.

Well that also depends on whose military you're comparing them to, and which terrorist groups you're talking about. Some of them have some very advanced military training despite their lack of coordination and resources. It is actually quite scary what some terrorist groups in this world could potentially do.

[[WS]Jacob]

It is actually quite scary what some terrorist groups in this world could potentially do.

And have done.

[Dillon]

Isn't Camp Bastion a joint operating base?  UK operations and US operations?

[Mikal]

Isn't Camp Bastion a joint operating base?  UK operations and US operations?

It's a British base, but obviously as it's the largest in Afghanistan (housing 28,000 people) US soldiers also live and operate from it, and it was the US soldiers who were incharge of security the time that the Taliban decided to actually fight face to face for once and managed to get far enough inside to destroy Harrier jets and other military equipment.