As the images of Marines urinating on three bloodied bodies circulated around the globe, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta denounced the video as "utterly deplorable" and called Afghan President Hamid Karzai to assure him that the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed "total dismay" at the apparent behavior by Marines. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was "deeply disturbed" and that the actions "erode the reputation of our joint force."
The swift U.S. response was intended to stave off the kind of international outrage that followed the 2004 release of pictures depicting the humiliating treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. Military officials said they feared the photographic evidence of apparent Marine misconduct could produce a severe setback at a critical time in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials have stepped up their long-shot efforts to negotiate a political settlement with the Taliban while struggling to maintain support from Karzai. The United States is also confronting an increasingly war-weary population in Afghanistan, where people often lend a sympathetic ear to Taliban propaganda about the presence and motives of foreign troops.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said those found engaged in such conduct will be held accountable to the fullest extent.
"This conduct is entirely inappropriate for the US military and does not reflect the standards of values our armed forces are sworn to uphold," he said in a statement.
Earlier, the White House deplored the video. "We find this -- we've seen the video, and what it depicts is -- or what it apparently depicts is deplorable, reprehensible and unacceptable," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
The video, posted on YouTube and other websites, is a big embarrassment for the Obama Administration, especially at a critical time of holding peace talks with the Taliban.
The Department of Defence has ordered a probe into the authenticity of the video as well as those who were responsible for this.
"The alleged action is obviously under investigation," Carney said in response to a question.
He referred to the telephone call made by Defence Secretary Panetta to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in this regard, in which he vowed to hold accountable to all those responsible for this, if the video is found to be authentic.
"I don't know whether or not the President has actually seen the video. He is certainly aware of it and shares the sentiment expressed by Secretary Panetta," Carney said.
"Certainly what is apparently occurring in that video is deplorable and does not live up to the very high standards set for the US Marines or, broadly, the US military," he said.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined Panetta in deploring the video, saying "it is absolutely inconsistent with American values, with the standards of behaviour that we expect from our military personnel."
In a statement Gen Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he is deeply disturbed by the actions in this video.
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