Guardian UK: Karzai leads wave of condemnation over video of urination on corpses [View all]

[marmar]

Afghan president Hamid Karzai has led a chorus of condemnation of US marines filmed urinating on the bodies of dead Afghans as "inhumane" and called for them to be severely punished.

Karzai was joined by the leaders of foreign coalition forces in Kabul and Senator John McCain, a navy veteran, in denouncing the latest in a series of abuses by American soldiers, who have yet to be identified, which is likely to further inflame hostility to Nato troops in Afghanistan and reinforce the perception that there is an institutional problem in the US military.

US defence secretary Leon Panetta also condemned the video on Thursday, promising to punish those involved.

"I have seen the footage, and I find the behaviour depicted in it utterly deplorable," Panetta said in a statement, saying he had ordered the Marine Corps and the commander of US and Nato troops in Afghanistan to investigate the incident. "Those found to have engaged in such conduct will be held accountable to the fullest extent." ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/12/karzai-condemnation-video-urination-corpses