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Taliban say Marine abuse tape won't hurt peace talks
A video showing what appear to be American forces urinating on dead Taliban fighters has prompted anger in Afghanistan and promises of a U.S. investigation, but the insurgent group has said it would not harm nascent efforts to broker peace talks.
January 12, 2012
(REUTERS) Kabul - The video, posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four men in camouflage Marine combat uniforms urinating on three corpses. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." Another makes a lewd joke.
It is likely to stir up already strong anti-U.S. sentiment in Afghanistan after a decade of a war that has seen other cases of abuse, and that could complicate efforts to promote reconciliation as foreign troops gradually withdraw.
"Such action will leave a very, very bad impact on peace efforts," Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the Afghan government's High Peace Council, told Reuters.
