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Hometown Rallies For Accused Soldiers (from military.com)
EFL:but a good read
The families of four U.S. Army reservists accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners of war have enlisted politicians, veterans groups and hundreds of friends to help persuade the military to dismiss the charges at a hearing next week. The four soldiers, all with the 320th Military Police Battalion based in Ashley, Pa., are charged with punching and kicking several Iraqis, breaking one man’s nose, while escorting a busload of prisoners to a POW processing center near Umm Qasr in May. Details of the allegations haven’t been released by the Army, and the soldiers said they have been ordered not to discuss the case. But in e-mails and phone calls home the four said they were assaulted by the prisoners and used minimal force to defend themselves. ... The campaign has also attracted lawmakers. ...praising the reservists for having "fought and sacrificed for our country," and expressing disappointment that the issue hadn’t been resolved by a preliminary investigation. Rep. Don Sherwood, R-Pa., said the soldiers deserved every benefit of the doubt, considering the conditions in Iraq. "They put their lives on hold, and went to the Gulf to protect us ... and now they are under charges because someone thinks they were a little rough with Iraqi prisoners," Sherwood said. "No one has shown me any convincing evidence that they were out of line." ...
(article has troopers names, will try to find an e-mail address)
From the names 2 of the guards appear to be women.I would imagine, given the Muslim treatment of women, that these ladies were justified. Makes me laugh when I think about this guy’s fellow prisoners laughing and pointing,saying "You got your butt kicked by a girl" can you imagine the shame of it all. I can hear AI crying about violating thier "cultural sensebilities" now.
The four have all been separated from their units and assigned to duties in Kuwait while they await an Aug. 27 disciplinary hearing that could lead to an acquittal, a simple letter of reprimand, or a recommendation that they be discharged from the service or imprisoned.
(SOP)
Col. Rick Thomas, a spokesman for Combined Forces Land Component Command in Atlanta, said the soldiers have been appointed lawyers and will be able to cross examine witnesses at the hearing. "It is a very fair process, and it is deliberate," Thomas said. He said the letters from the soldiers’ supporters wouldn’t affect the hearing’s outcome. Relatives said that after they were charged, the soldiers complained that conditions were chaotic at Camp Bucca, where the assault allegedly took place, and that guards had been harassed and assaulted daily by unruly prisoners. "Our kids were made scapegoats," said Girman’s mother, Carole Graff. "We want them home, and let (the Army) handle the situation themselves." Amnesty International said some former prisoners of coalition troops have complained that they were treated poorly, held in filthy conditions, restrained in painful positions for long periods, and tortured by being exposed to bright lights and loud music for prolonged periods.
AI involvment automatically makes the issue suspect.
Several of the reservists have experience handling prisoners in their civilian jobs. Girman has been a Pennsylvania state trooper for 14 years and served at a POW camp during the 1991 Gulf War. McKenzie, who was decorated for his previous service in Bosnia, is a lieutenant in a boot-camp style prison run by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Edmondson is a campus security officer at the University of Scranton, where she also takes classes. "A bloody nose and a twisted arm, and our kids are facing prison time?" said Edmondson’s mother, Linda Edmondson. "In a time of war, it’s ridiculous. She could have shot them, if she wanted to hurt someone."
Posted by: raptor 2003-08-28
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=18075