Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/583044
ByJoshLederman The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Barack Obama apologized to Doctors Without Borders on Wednesdayfor the Amer- ican air attack that killed at least 22 people at a medical clinic in Afghanistan, and said the U.S. would exam- ine military procedures to look for better ways to pre- vent such incidents. Obama's phone call to the group's international pres- ident, Joanne Liu, came just a day after the White House had stopped short of an apology, waiting to learn more while acknowl- edging that the attack was a U.S. mistake. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama offered condo- lences to the group's staff and pledged a "transparent, thorough and objective ac- counting 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 trans- pired," Earnest said. He de- scribed the call as a "heart- felt apology." Liu confirmed the apol- ogy. In a written statement, she reiterated her organiza- tion's call for the U.S. gov- ernment to consent to an in- dependent investigation "to establish what happened in Kunduz, how it happened, and why it happened." Emerging details about the erroneous strike have only fueled growing con- demnation by Doctors Without Borders and other aid groups in the four days since the clinic in the north- ern city of Kunduz came under fire, killing civilian workers and patients. Af- ter initial confusion, offi- cials determined the U.S. had carried out the strike, an admission that compli- cates delicate U.S. efforts in Afghanistan as Obama weighs how many troops to leave there. Obama told Doctors Without Borders that the U.S. would review the at- tack to determine whether changes to U.S. military procedures could reduce the chances of a similar in- cident. Obama also spoke to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to convey condo- lences and praise Afghan forces for securing Kun- duz, the White House said. Taliban fighters had seized control of Kunduz for three days last week. Investigations by the U.S., NATO and the Af- ghan government are un- derway, but Doctors With- out Borders has called them insufficient and demanded the independent fact-find- ing mission. Without ad- dressing that demand, the White House offered as- surances that the Pentagon would dutifully carry out its internal probe. Doctors Without Borders has also said the strike may have been a war crime and has described it as an at- tack on the Geneva Conven- tions governing humanitar- ian treatment during war. But the White House urged patience while the Penta- gon works to establish what transpired. Asked whether the apol- ogy signified U.S. culpabil- ity for loss of life, Earnest said individuals would be held accountable if neces- sary. U.S. officials have de- clined to discuss most cir- cumstances of the blun- der, and it's not yet clear whether the strike exceeded the rules applying to Amer- ican forces operating in Af- ghanistan. But the top U.S. commander in Afghani- stan, Gen. John F. Camp- bell, has said Afghan forces fighting to retake Kunduz from the Taliban had re- quested U.S. air power, and that a U.S. special opera- tions unit in the "close vi- cinity" was communicating with the crew of the heavily armed AC-130 gunship that pummeled the hospital. PHONE CALL ObamaapologizesforattackonAfghanclinic PABLOMARTINEZMONSIVAIS—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday. By Albert Aji and Nataliya Vasilyeva The Associated Press DAMASCUS,SYRIA Russian warships in the Caspian Sea fired cruise missiles Wednesday as Syrian gov- ernment troops launched a ground offensive in cen- tral Syria in the first major combined air-and-ground assault since Moscow be- gan its military campaign in the country last week. The missiles flew nearly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) over Iran and Iraq and struck Raqqa and Aleppo provinces in the north and Idlib province in the north- west, Russian officials said. The Islamic State group has strongholds in Raqqa and Aleppo, while the al-Qa- ida-linked Nusra Front has a strong presence in Idlib. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Russia was continuing to strike targets other than Islamic State militants, adding that he was concerned about the Syrian ground offensive backed by Moscow's air- power. The latest developments came a week after Russia began airstrikes in Syria, its longtime ally, on Sept. 30, and added a new dimen- sion to the complex war that has torn apart the Mideast country since 2011. Activists and rebels say the targets have included Western-backed fighters and other groups opposed to President Bashar Assad. A Syrian official and ac- tivists said government troops pushed into areas in the central province of Hama and south of Idlib in the boldest multipronged attack on rebel-held areas, benefiting from the Russian air cover. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not autho- rized to talk to the media. Moscow has mainly tar- geted central and north- western Syria, strategic re- gions that are the gateway to Assad's strongholds in Damascus, and along the Mediterranean coast where Russia has a naval base. The Russian airstrikes strikes appear to have em- boldened Syrian troops to launch the ground push af- ter a series of setbacks in northwestern Syria in re- cent months. The Islamic State group is not present in the areas where the ground fighting is underway. The offensive in cen- tral Syria and the ensuing clashes with militants, in- cluding the Nusra Front, was the first major ground fighting since the Russian campaign began. Appearing on television with President Vladimir Pu- tin, Russian Defense Min- ister Sergei Shoigu said 26 missile strikes were con- ducted from four warships in the Caspian. Shoigu in- sisted the operation de- stroyed all the targets and did not launch any strikes on civilian areas. The launches marked the combat debut of the Russian Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, equivalent to U.S. Tomahawk missiles. "The fact that we launched precision weap- ons from the Caspian Sea to the distance of about 1,500 kilometers and hit all the designated targets shows good work by mili- tary industrial plants and good skills of personnel," Putin said. Andrei Kartapolov of the Russian General Staff told Russian news agencies the strikes were planned so that the cruise missiles would fly "over unpopu- lated areas." Shoigu also said Russia has carried out 112 airstrikes on IS posi- tions since Sept. 30. Iranian state TV, citing Russian media, reported that the Russian missiles flew through Iran's airspace and hit targets in Syria. COMBINED ASSAULT Russia fires cruise missiles from warships into Syria RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE A Russian navy ship launches cruise missiles in the Caspian Sea. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said four Russian navy ships in the Caspian launched 26cruise missiles at Islamic State targets in Syria. By Eric Tucker The Associated Press WASHINGTON A push to overhaul criminal sentenc- ing is prompting the early release of thousands of fed- eral drug prisoners, includ- ing some whom prosecutors once described as threats to society, according to an Associated Press review of court records. About 6,000 inmates are due to be freed in the coming month, the re- sult of changes made last year to guidelines that pro- vide judges with recom- mended sentences for spe- cific crimes. The Justice Department says roughly 40,000 inmates could ben- efit in coming years. Many of them are small- time drug dealers targeted by an approach to drug en- forcement now condemned by many as overly harsh and expensive. But an AP analysis of nearly 100 court cases also found defendants who carried semi-automatic weapons, had past convic- tions for robbery and other crimes, moved cocaine ship- ments across states, and participated in interna- tional heroin smuggling. Supporters of lighter drug sentences say there's no evidence that longer punishment protects public safety. Studies show that in- mates released early aren't more likely to reoffend than those who serve their entire sentences. Still, the broad spectrum of defendants granted early release — including some about whom prosecutors not long ago raised dire warnings — underscores the complex decisions con- fronting the government as it pursues an overhaul of drug sentencing. "I'm a career prosecutor. I'm a law-and-order girl, and I believe that you need to send dangerous people to prison for a very long time," said Deputy Attorney Gen- eral Sally Yates. "But I think that we need to be smart about deciding who are those dangerous people." Willie Best, a one-time District of Columbia drug dealer whose sentence was already cut under crack guideline changes, had an additional month taken off and is due out in 2016. Tuan Evans, who sold pistols and cocaine to un- dercover officers, had 11 months shaved off his 108-month sentence. He wrote from prison that he's acquired haircutting skills and hopes to start a land- scaping business and men- tor children once he's freed. Records show a 2018 release date. "You don't have to lock us up and throw away the key when we make a mistake," he said. Prosecutors in 2008 said Best helped run a drug- dealing organization, shot at someone he believed had stolen from him and, after fleeing, was found in a sto- len car with an assault rifle. His lawyer described him as the product of a troubled, impoverished upbringing. Best, in an interview from prison, called himself a lov- ing father who bears no re- semblance to his past self. "It's been a long time coming. Eight years is a long time," he said. "I came in one way. I'm coming out another." Guidelines set by the U.S. Sentencing Commission offer recommended mini- mum and maximum terms for federal crimes. The inde- pendent commission voted last year to reduce ranges for drug offenses, then ap- plied those changes to al- ready-imprisoned convicts. Since then, prisoners have sought relief from judges, who can reject those they consider public safety threats. About three-quar- ters of requests had been granted as of August. The first wave is due around Nov. 1, and most of those getting early re- lease are already in half- way houses or under home confinement. Others will be released to immigration au- thorities for eventual depor- tation. Though the commission has repeatedly amended the guidelines, including narrowing the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences that re- sulted in disproportionately long penalties for blacks de- fendants, the latest revi- sion is its most sweeping because it covers all drug types. It delayed imple- mentation by a year to al- low judges time to review requests and weed out inap- propriate candidates. FEDERAL PRISONS Drug inmates with long rap sheets among those freed early ALEX BRANDON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Kenneth Evans holds a composite of photographs of his son Tuan Evans, as he poses for a photograph at his home in Temple Hills, Maryland. Tuan Evans, who sold pistols and cocaine to undercover officers, had 11months shaved off his 108-month sentence. | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 10 A