Obama apologizes to doctors group
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama apologized to Doctors Without Borders on Wednesday for the American air attack that killed at least 22 people at a medical clinic in Afghanistan and said the U.S. would examine military procedures to look for better ways to prevent such incidents.
Obama’s phone call to the group’s international president, Joanne Liu, came just a day after the White House had stopped short of an apology, waiting to learn more while acknowledging that the attack was a U.S. mistake. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama offered condolences to the group’s staff and pledged a “transparent, thorough and objective accounting of the facts.”
“When the United States makes a mistake, we own up to it, we apologize where appropriate, and we are honest about what transpired,” he said.
Iran pushed Russia to attack IS targets
BAGHDAD – Iran played an integral role leading up to Russia’s move to launch its air campaign in Syria and play a stronger role in Iraq, with one of Tehran’s most powerful generals meeting for three hours with President Vladimir Putin to push for intervention, Iraqi government officials tell The Associated Press.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, went to Moscow in August with the message that Russian airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria were imperative, said the two senior officials.
Associated Press