U.S. general warns troops to treat dead with 'dignity and respect'

U.S. general warns troops to treat dead with 'dignity and respect'
By the CNN Wire Staff
January 13, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: The Marine Corps promises an "expeditious, full and fair investigation"
The four Marines in urination video have been identified, a Marine official says
General reminds troops to treat dead with "appropriate dignity and respect"
NATO says the U.S. individuals involved are no longer in Afghanistan

(CNN) -- The deputy commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan ordered troops Friday to treat the corpses of slain insurgents and civilians with "appropriate dignity and respect."

The order follows a video that appears to show four U.S. Marines urinating on bodies, images that sparked swift condemnation from the United States and Afghanistan at a particularly crucial period in the U.S.-led war.

"We must treat the living and the dead with dignity and respect," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said in the directive, which was published Friday on the website of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan. He said troops must follow the rules of armed conflict and "act honorably at all times."

"In order to prevail, for the good of the coalition nations and the Afghan people, we can do no less."

The video surfaced as the United States and the Taliban have taken tentative steps toward peace negotiations and as the U.S. and its allies plan to withdraw troops by the end of 2014.

The general's directive instructed officers to ensure subordinates know that they are obligated to report any allegations of misconduct involving corpses. He promised swift investigations and "appropriate actions" against offenders.

The directive notes that "defiling, desecrating, mocking, photographing or filming for personal use insurgent dead constitutes a grave breach" of the armed-conflict laws. It also violates "basic standards of human decency, and can cause serious damage to relations with the Afghan government."
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