Communication breakdown blamed for 'friendly fire' incident

By Robert Burns, AP Military Writer

Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of Central Command, wrote in a memorandum attached to the investigation report that gun camera tapes which recorded the attacks on the Marines by the Air Force A-10 planes were not preserved for investigators, even though it was clear a probe would be called for. The lack of video evidence "did hamper investigative efforts," he wrote.