Pentagon: Base Where 8 Died Was Slated To Close

The Pentagon says it had planned to abandon a remote U.S. outpost in Afghanistan where eight soldiers were killed last weekend.

A Pentagon spokesman says the combat outpost in Nuristan province was on a list of far-flung bases that U.S. war commanders had decided were not worth keeping. That decision was on the books before last weekend's deadly 12-hour firefight.

Spokesman Geoff Morrell says that with limited resources _ including combat forces _ the U.S. is trying to refocus on areas with larger Afghan populations.

Morrell says about 100 insurgent fighters died in the assault on the camp.