An Army captain who collapsed and died in Afghanistan while communicating with his wife over Skype was not shot and his body showed no immediate evidence of trauma beyond minor abrasions, an Army spokesman said on Monday. The Virginia-based U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) said its investigation into Captain Bruce Clark’s May 1 death is continuing. “Although we have not completely ruled it out to ensure a complete and thorough investigation is conducted, we do not suspect foul play in the death of Captain Clark at this point in our ongoing investigation,” said CID spokesperson Chris Grey. Clark’s family released two statements over the weekend on his death, according to USA Today. READ: Army says soldier Skyping with family wasn’t shot
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An Army captain who collapsed and died in Afghanistan while communicating with his wife over Skype was not shot and his body showed no immediate evidence of trauma beyond minor abrasions, an Army spokesman said on Monday.

The Virginia-based U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) said its investigation into Captain Bruce Clark’s May 1 death is continuing.

“Although we have not completely ruled it out to ensure a complete and thorough investigation is conducted, we do not suspect foul play in the death of Captain Clark at this point in our ongoing investigation,” said CID spokesperson Chris Grey.

Clark’s family released two statements over the weekend on his death, according to USA Today.

READ: Army says soldier Skyping with family wasn’t shot

Virginia Beach Police guard one of the ejection seats which landed about 100 yards from the crash site, after an F/A-18D fighter jet crashed into an apartment complex in Virginia Beach April 6, 2012. The plane was part of a training squadron at Naval Air Station Oceana for Navy and Marine aviators in Virginia Beach. [REUTERS/Thomas Slusser] READ MORE: Navy F-18 crashes, sets Virginia buildings aflame
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Virginia Beach Police guard one of the ejection seats which landed about 100 yards from the crash site, after an F/A-18D fighter jet crashed into an apartment complex in Virginia Beach April 6, 2012. The plane was part of a training squadron at Naval Air Station Oceana for Navy and Marine aviators in Virginia Beach. [REUTERS/Thomas Slusser]

READ MORE: Navy F-18 crashes, sets Virginia buildings aflame

New poll shows Americans favor diplomacy over war with Iran

shortformblog:

  • 69% of Americans prefer a diplomatic approach instead of an Israeli attack on Iran, according to a new poll from the University of Maryland
  • 38% of Republicans polled favor military action by the Israeli government, a percentage likely to surprise experts and policymakers
  • 17% of Democrats and independents polled agreed with their Republican counterparts, preferring military action over diplomacy source

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Source: shortformblog

Poll: Most Americans say they’d support strike on Iran
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Poll: Most Americans say they’d support strike on Iran

Partial remains from some victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks ended up in a landfill, according to a Pentagon report released on Tuesday that revealed other blunders at the U.S. military’s main mortuary. The Pentagon report said that several portions of remains found from the attack on the Pentagon and at the Pennsylvania crash site of a hijacked airliner presumably ended up in a landfill after being handed over to a private firm. The details were disclosed in passing in a report that focused on ways to improve oversight and controls of the Dover mortuary after the disclosure last year of the mishandling of remains of war dead. Read more: Some 9/11 victims’ remains sent to landfill
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Partial remains from some victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks ended up in a landfill, according to a Pentagon report released on Tuesday that revealed other blunders at the U.S. military’s main mortuary.

The Pentagon report said that several portions of remains found from the attack on the Pentagon and at the Pennsylvania crash site of a hijacked airliner presumably ended up in a landfill after being handed over to a private firm.

The details were disclosed in passing in a report that focused on ways to improve oversight and controls of the Dover mortuary after the disclosure last year of the mishandling of remains of war dead.

Read more: Some 9/11 victims’ remains sent to landfill

President Barack Obama sent a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday apologizing for the burning of copies of the Koran at U.S. military base in Afghanistan, the White House said.

“In the letter, delivered by Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker this afternoon in Kabul, the president also expressed our regret and apologies over the incident in which religious materials were unintentionally mishandled at Bagram Airbase,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

The burning of Korans at the Bagram airbase near Kabul has sparked fierce protests against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Read more: Obama apologizes to Karzai over Koran burning

A U.S. Marine drinks the blood of a cobra during a jungle survival exercise with the Thai Navy as part of the “Cobra Gold 2012” (CG12) joint military exercise, at a military base in Chon Buri Province February 13, 2012.  About 14,000 armed forces personnel representing Thailand, U.S., Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea are participating in the three-week military exercise, which takes place every year in Thailand. [REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom] See more Reuters photography
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A U.S. Marine drinks the blood of a cobra during a jungle survival exercise with the Thai Navy as part of the “Cobra Gold 2012” (CG12) joint military exercise, at a military base in Chon Buri Province February 13, 2012. 

About 14,000 armed forces personnel representing Thailand, U.S., Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea are participating in the three-week military exercise, which takes place every year in Thailand. [REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom]

See more Reuters photography

Under new rules set to be unveiled on Thursday, the Defense Department would continue to prohibit women from serving in infantry, armor and special operations units whose main function is to engage in front-line combat, defense officials said. The new policy would open about 14,000 jobs to women by enabling them to take positions such as medics, intelligence officers, radio operators and military police at the battalion level, which had previously been considered too close to combat, officials said. Read more: New Pentagon rules could put women closer to combat
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Under new rules set to be unveiled on Thursday, the Defense Department would continue to prohibit women from serving in infantry, armor and special operations units whose main function is to engage in front-line combat, defense officials said.

The new policy would open about 14,000 jobs to women by enabling them to take positions such as medics, intelligence officers, radio operators and military police at the battalion level, which had previously been considered too close to combat, officials said.

Read more: New Pentagon rules could put women closer to combat

The Pentagon unveiled a 2013 budget plan that would cut $487 billion in spending over the next decade by eliminating nearly 100,000 ground troops, mothballing ships and trimming air squadrons in a bid to create a smaller, agile force with a new strategic focus. [REUTERS] Read more: Pentagon cuts reshape military, trim costs
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The Pentagon unveiled a 2013 budget plan that would cut $487 billion in spending over the next decade by eliminating nearly 100,000 ground troops, mothballing ships and trimming air squadrons in a bid to create a smaller, agile force with a new strategic focus. [REUTERS]

Read more: Pentagon cuts reshape military, trim costs

Marines probe video of men urinating on Taliban corpses

The Marine Corps said on Wednesday it would investigate a video showing what appear to be American forces in Afghanistan urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters.