Afghanistan U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta vowed that the U.S. and NATO would not change their military strategy in the face of mounting outrage over a U.S. soldier's shooting spree in Kandahar province. In what is being described as one of the worst mass murders by a U.S. service member since the Vietnam War, an Army sergeant allegedly slipped away from his quarters and opened fire on sleeping families, killing 16 people, including nine children. The 38-year-old suspect, who has not been named, surrendered at his nearby base. In the aftermath of the massacre, the Taliban threatened to behead American military personnel, and militants opened fire on Afghan officials visiting the scene of the deadly rampage. President Obama promised a full investigation and condemned the attack as "outrageous and unacceptable." Still, the White House maintains that these events won't hasten the withdrawal of U.S. forces; according to a spokesperson for the Obama Administration, officials will discuss troop reductions at a NATO meeting in Chicago.
展开▼
