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| Britain |
| British soldier quits army in Iraq over "illegal" US tactics |
| 2006-03-13 |
| A Special Air Service (SAS) soldier from Britain has refused to fight in Iraq and left the Army over the "illegal" tactics of United States troops and the policies of coalition forces. Ben Griffin, 28, who spent two years with the SAS, told his commander after staying three months in Baghdad that he was no longer prepared to fight with American forces, the Sunday Telegraph reported. He said he had witnessed "dozens of illegal acts" by U.S. troops, which he claimed regarding all Iraqis as sub-human. Many innocent civilians were arrested in night-time raids and interrogated by American soldiers, imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, or handed over to the Iraqi authorities and "most probably" tortured, he added. "I did not join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy," said the soldier. This is the first time an SAS soldier has refused to go into combat and quit the Army on moral grounds, said the report. Griffin also noted that he now believed that Prime Minister Tony Blair and the British government had repeatedly "lied" over the war's conduct. The move not only marks an end to Griffin's eight-year career with the Parachute Regiment but also serves an embarrassment to the government while exerting great impact on other soldiers who have refused to fight. Coincidentally, a Royal Air Force doctor who has refused to return to Iraq for a third tour of duty on the grounds that the war is illegal will face pretrial on Wednesday. So far there has been no comment from the Ministry of Defense. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #2 If he said I saw x, y and z, I might give some credibility to what he says, but his list sounds an awful lot like a collection of Leftist talking points. He saw illegal acts. On what basis does he say they are illegal. Has he studied Iraqi civil law? Many Innocent Civilians were arrested. How does he know they were innocent? Or is he just saying many of those arrested were released shortly afterwards? Interrogated by American soldiers. Did he watch these interrogations? How does he know they occured? Besides, what does he expect to happen to them? Its a universal practice to interrogate suspects. imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Again what does he expect would happen to them, if they are not released? handed over to the Iraqi authorities and "most probably" tortured. If he has evidence of torture. He should present it, but it sounds like he has just heard it happens. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-03-13 22:00 |
| #1 Three months. Wow, there's the voice of experience! Didn't get bombed or lose any of your buddies yet, did you? The 3 months probably scared the bejeebus out of him and he's getting out before they kill him, anyway he can. he doen't object, he's peeing his pants. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-03-13 19:17 |