PORTLAND — The Maine father of a Marine killed in Afghanistan is meeting with Sen. Susan Collins to talk about the U.S. strategy for fighting the war in that country.

John Bernard, a retired Marine, believes the U.S. strategy of trying to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the enemy. Instead of trying to win the loyalties of Afghans, he says the U.S. military should be focused on defeating the Taliban.

Collins, a member of the Armed Services Committee, has been supportive of the current policies pursued by Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

She and Bernard are to meet privately Wednesday.

Bernard’s son, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard, was killed in an insurgent ambush in August 2009.


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