Crisis Communication

With Army in Disarray, a Pillar of Modern Turkey Lies Broken

American officials say they have not yet seen a weakening of Turkey’s resolve or ability to remain an active partner in the fight against the Islamic State, but they worry about aftershocks of the failed coup. The commander of American forces in the Middle East, Gen. Joseph L. Votel, the head of the United States Central Command, said on Thursday that many senior Turkish officers whom the United States deals with on counterterrorism were now in limbo, and some were in jail.

“I’m particularly concerned about those relationships,” he said in an interview.

U.S. ambassador to Qatar summoned in response to soldiers joking on video near flags

A spokeswoman with U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said military officials are aware of the video, looking into the circumstances under which it was posted, and “sincerely regret any offense” it may have caused.

“We have great respect for the State of Qatar and its people and the overwhelmingly positive friendship we share with our Qatari partners,” said the spokeswoman, Air Force Capt. Michele M. Rollins. “We hold members of the U.S. military to the highest standards of personal conduct and will take appropriate action.”

U.S.: Afghanistan hospital bombing not ‘war crime’ | CNN Politics

Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, made the announcement at a news conference in Washington. The investigation had identified 16 service personnel that had “warranted consideration for appropriate administrative or disciplinary action.”

“The comprehensive investigation concluded that this tragic incident was caused by a combination of human errors, compounded by process and equipment failures,” Votel said in explaining the decision not to regard the incident as a war crime. He also said that the aircrew were “unaware” that they were firing on a hospital.

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