Rep. Ruben Gallego on the Aug. 29 Strike that Resulted in 10 Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) released the following statement on the Pentagon acknowledging civilian causalities in the August 29 strike in Afghanistan.
Statement from Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07):
"I'm devastated by the acknowledgment from the Department of Defense that the strike conducted on August 29 was an utter failure that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 civilians.
"As chairman of the Intelligence and Special Operations sub-committee, I expect the Department to brief us immediately on the operation, focusing on a full accounting of the targeting processes and procedures which led to the determination to carry out such a strike, inclusive of the intelligence sources and methods employed to select the target, and the manner in which the strike was carried out.
"In this accounting, I want to hear the extent to which the Department relied upon over-the-horizon capabilities and how DoD plans to carry out operations and prevent such tragedies in the future."
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Rep. Ruben Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.