Washington, Dec 1: A US lawmaker has asked the defence secretary to review the command and control protocols of NATO as an air attack by the alliance forces left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead last weekend and resulted in an outrage in Pakistan.
In a letter to US defence secretary Leon Panetta, which was released to the press, Dennis Kucinich called for a strong support for "full and transparent investigation" of the attack on sovereign Pakistani territory and demanded a full review of "command and control protocols" which led to the disaster.
"We cannot be successful in securing peace and security in the region alone. I urge you to ensure full US participation in and cooperation with a full, impartial and transparent investigation into the airstrike.
"It is critical that those in the NATO and the International Security Assistance Force (IASF) be held accountable for any actions that may have resulted in the death of 24 innocent Pakistani soldiers," Kucinich said.
The response of the US to this attack, he said, will be critical to maintaining America's vital relationship with Pakistan and to the security of its troops in Afghanistan.
"As you know, Saturday's airstrike that resulted in the death of 24 innocent Pakistani soldiers has further strained the US-Pakistan relationship and increased anti-US sentiment abroad," he said.
"Reports indicate that US-led coalition forces operating in Afghanistan are bracing themselves for reprisal attacks. The Pakistani government has now withdrawn from participation in the upcoming US-led Bonn Conference on the future of Afghanistan and has closed vital supply lines to our troops operating in the country," the Congressman said.
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