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What was behind US soldier's Afghan shooting rampage?

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    Search for answers in horrific incident

  • Duration 4:21
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Brand new this morning US forces in Afghanistan are stepping up security.

As the Taliban threatens revenge for the murders of at least thirteen civilians there.

And American staff sergeant is under arrest for that shooting Rampage and the Pentagon is promising a rapid but thorough investigation.

I think we're we're moving ahead very positive way and it's very important that as tragic as this incident is and it is tragic.

It would be more tragic for us to let this do you realist from the larger strategy in the mission in Afghanistan.

About that strategy in -- how is -- complicated by what happened in Afghanistan.

Let's bring in retired army major general Bob scales also a Fox News military analyst.

And general good morning to you thanks for being here good morning Gerri thank you what do your sources tell you about this particular service member and why this might have happened.

-- Jamie I've been getting calls from.

Where this -- is from he's from Fort Lewis he's at 38 year old a six married father of 286.

Is essentially a squad leader in the army.

Sunday morning for some reason -- got about a bit walked across about a mile to the village that he was supporting.

Took a rifle and murdered somewhere between thirteen and sixteen.

Afghan was most of them women and children in the very calmly walked backed to his base surrendered his weapon and turned himself in so it was a horrific Rampage and right now no one can really explain how it happened.

Well you know the folks that he served -- -- you know also this was what his third or fourth deployment.

Fourth OK why does this happen.

You know Jamie nobody knows.

All here's what we do you know we do know that the force particularly the army the Marine Corps has been under enormous stress.

And this type of psychotic behavior while it's very very -- -- usual it's impossible to predict.

But the stresses of combat -- such that.

If if any soldier has this this this predisposition.

For this type of unacceptable violent behavior.

That the additional stress of of these multiple deployments -- had something to do it that right now we don't know but it certainly has to be a factor.

But -- that can't be an excuse because when we think about Fort Hood to.

And I know that at least the army I'm familiar with there was -- C training and -- comprehensive mental fitness assessments.

Of members who are going on multiple deployments.

Right do we have to do a better job.

You know you have again I I I applaud the army -- comprehensive soldier fitness and its resiliency training which is essentially.

An assessment that every soldier gets periodically for its physical metal psychological emotional and spiritual health.

And it's given the army an opportunity to try to screen out the soldiers who were suffering from.

From the from long term deployments that many of them have to endure but again.

The army's 570000.

And sadly.

This is this a program and I'm sure this.

In -- went through it but this program didn't predict this so awful behavior by the sword.

General the president has begun the with Charles and the Taliban is claiming now retaliation for this.

Specific incident that the soldier or service member is accused of is it time to go.

From Afghanistan I.

Yeah I don't think there's any question Jamie that this incident along with others like the Koran burning and they episodic.

Killings of innocent Afghans is going to.

Is going to increase the rush for the door as you know there's a NATO conference today where they're going to discuss the Afghan policy the French are pushing to get -- But this -- this is a real problem for the US command.

The Afghan army and police can't stand on -- on and fight so more time is needed but we can't take more time because of the pressures to come home.

And even if we took the additional time there's no guarantee that the Afghan army and police are going to be up to that.

Of up to standing alone in fighting against the Taliban this these are tough tough decisions that have been made over the -- what that's too much.

-- let's say that the investigation the Pentagon says is ongoing into the specifics we won't speculate thank you so much major general Bob scales always good to have you here sir.

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