Iraq - This just can't be right. The mixed messages this sends to those outside the military and much more to those inside the military is mind boggling.
Rowan Scarborough reports in The Washington Times that Lt. Colonel Allen B. West is facing a court martial because he,
"...coerced an Iraqi into providing information that foiled a planned attack on U.S. soldiers.
"Lt. Col. Allen B. West says he did not physically abuse the detainee, but used psychological pressure by twice firing his service weapon away from the Iraqi. After the shots were fired, the detainee, an Iraqi police officer, gave up the information on a planned attack around the northern Iraqi town of Saba al Boor."
I suggest you follow the link and read the full article.
The Lt. Colonel said,
"I admit that what I did was not right but it was done with the concern of the safety of my soldiers and myself."
Well, if his version of the incident is correct than what he certainly did was not wrong. He very likely is a hero.
I'm not advocating torture because in the end a government that uses it will eat itself apart, and it doesn't sound to me like torture is what happened in this case. They roughed the man up and then applied some psychological pressure on him, scaring him into spilling the beans. That's not torture.
The Lt. Col. saved some lives. Why are they prosecuting the man? He was doing his job.
I'll have to remember to follow this and see what develops.
