AFGHANISTAN - 'NATO MACHINE GUN' KILLING OF US MAJOR-GEN & WOUNDING AT LEAST 17 OTHERS, INCL GERMAN GENERAL

Big surprise: Fox News doofus blames Obama for death of U.S. general in Afghanistan Aug. 6, 2014 6:21 p.m. Steve Doocy, one of the dimmer bulbs on Fox News Channel (a distinction not easily achieved), is RESPONDING to a tragedy in Afghanistan exactly as he would be expected to: There was a tragic incident just outside Kabul yesterday at the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, where a man dressed in Afghan military uniform opened fire. At least 15 were injured and at least one American was killed: two-star Major General Harold J. Greene, who was there to help train Afghan soldiers… In an unusually callous display, Fox News’ Steve Doocy thought this morning would be a good time to suggest President Obama deserves the blame for the violence and Greene’s death… Does Doocy, or any other Republican for that matter, seriously believe that if Obama had committed to an indefinite war in Afghanistan, attacks like these wouldn’t happen? The way to prevent violent deaths in Afghanistan is for Obama to declare a war without end? http://www.jacksonnewspapers.com/article/20140806/BLOGS/308069981/-1/police%20fire

Fox News gets a rap on the knuckles from a commentator.

Washington Post:

Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene became the first U.S. general officer killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Known to his friends as Harry, Greene was recalled by colleagues yesterday as a family man who was an expert in logistics and wanted to be serving in Afghanistan. The Los Angeles Times reported that his wife, Sue Myers, is a retired Army colonel, and they have two grown children, Matthew and Amelia. Matthew is a lieutenant in the Army and a graduate of West Point.

“Whether it was [improvised explosive devices] or soldier protection or intelligence and surveillance, he always had a tactical view of research and development and acquisition,” Scales told Army Times. “When he was at Natick, he had a real sense of what was important. Harry was always the one who always understood the tactical needs of the close-combat soldiers.”

The attacker was armed with a machine gun, and surprised Greene and other officials who were visiting the academy, according to the Wall Street Journal. The use of a machine gun would in part explain the high number of casualties — 17 other troops were wounded, the newspaper said. Many other news accounts put the number of casualties at 15, plus Greene.

CBS News reported Wednesday that the attacker, identified as Rafiqullah, hid in a bathroom before the attack. It, too, reported the use of a machine gun, and said it was a NATO weapon. Two Afghan generals at the academy were wounded, the report said.

The Washington Post and others reported yesterday that a German one-star general was also among the wounded. He is Brig. Gen. Michael Bartscher, according to accounts by the Associated Press and others. The German defense ministry called it a “malicious and cowardly attack,” the AP said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2014/08/06/new-details-emerge-about-death-of-maj-gen-harold-greene-killed-in-afghanistan/

Washington Post provides some background detail.