US military refuses to apologise over Nato attack

Gen Martin Dempsey, the most senior figure in the US military has refused to apologise for an air strike at the weekend that killed 26 Pakistani soldiers. The Pakistan Army claimed the attack lasted almost two hours, and that it continued even after commanders on the ground contacted Nato to ask what was going on. In a TV interview, Gen Dempsey said he telephoned Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani and “expressed regret”. “They have reason to be furious that they have 24 soldiers dead and that what killed them was the ordinance of a partner,” he said. Asked if there was anything to apologise for, Gen Dempsey said: “absolutely not.” Gen Dempsey also admitted that the US relationship with Pakistan, viewed from the outside is “the worst it’s ever been.”