House Demands Report from Army on LTC West Investigation

HASC Press Release | 21 Nov 03

[O6ret]

PRESS RELEASE

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on Armed Services

Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Chairman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2003

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES LEADERS DEMAND INFORMATION CONCERNING LT. COLONEL WEST

Actions to Save Soldiers Were Proper Based on Available Information

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and John M. McHugh (R-NY)are calling on U.S. Army leadership to immediately provide a report on the investigation of Lt. Col. Allen West. West is charged with improperly interrogating an Iraqi prisoner.

Based on the information currently available to them, Hunter and McHugh believe that West's actions may well have been necessary to protect the lives and safety of his fellow soldiers and not the actions of a criminal, as he is charged. Hunter is Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and McHugh is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Total Force, which has jurisdiction over military personnel matters.

According to news accounts, the incident in question took place this pastAugust near Tikrit, Iraq, when guerrillas attacked U.S. soldiers underWest's command. An informant told U.S. authorities that a local policeman was involved. West ordered the policeman brought in, though he proveduncooperative. West has testified that he fired his pistol near the head ofthe Iraqi, threatening to kill him in an effort to obtain information to protect his troops. As a result of the tactic, the Iraqi provided information regarding a planned sniper attack on U.S. soldiers. Two insurgents were arrested, a third fled and there were no attacks in the area. West immediately informed his commanding officer of the incident. He is currently facing an inquiry to determine if there is cause for a court-martial.

"We are highly disturbed by media accounts that the Army is beginning criminal proceedings against Lt. Col. Allen B. West for taking actions in Iraq that he believed were necessary to protect the lives and safety of his men," stated the Congressmen in a letter to Les Brownlee, Acting Secretary of the Army. "To us, such actions if accurately reported do not appear to be those of a criminal," the letter continues.

In addition to the information previously requested, the Congressmen are asking to see a new report. "We are aware the Army has completed a preliminary inquiry regarding whether to proceed to a court martial and would like to review that report," said Hunter and McHugh in a joint statement. "Our interest is in justice. Based on what we know right now, it is more than reasonable to assume that Col. West acted in a manner proportionate to the threat against his soldiers."

[Ispy4u]

Looks like the rest of the story will soon come out.

There is no way in hades that congresscritters will be able to not release the side of the story we haven't heard yet.

[Cicero]

Good. It's about time.

[Poohbah]

Whatever happened to the idea of "separation of f***ing powers?"

[joesnuffy]

They ought to be hauling up the CG of the 4th ID and the idiot that brought charges against Lt. Col. West in the first place...imo

[Ispy4u]

Oh, congresscritters will have no problem trying to exert command influence on the case. It will never affect them anyway.

But this is probably going to hurt LTC West way more than it helps his case. I'm sure that the Armed Services Comittee will release notes refering to the Army's evidence supporting the command's case against LTC West.

[Pukin Dog]

Duncan Hunter always leads with his face. He will get slapped back quickly enough. The truth will come out, but only if it is leaked. I dont think anyone wants all of it public, because it wont help either side.

[Grut]

Best guess: if the Congresscritters' demands don't generate much press, they'll cite the 'ongoing investigation' and drop the matter. I could be wrong, but mostly congressional members don't much care what the military does, so long as it does enough of it in their districts.

[Ispy4u]

Since when have congresscritters been able to keep anything a secret.

[Pukin Dog]

I truly believe that Rumsfeld will be telling Congress to talk to his hand. Either that, or he will take them in a room, tell them the whole story, and tell them to STFU.

[Ispy4u]

That would be proper.

[muawiyah]

Why is it every writer adds in their belief that Col. West was "threatening to kill" the guy?

It was obvious to me that Col. West knows his Ba'athists quite well. Whenever one of them wanted to pistol whip some poor victim they'd clear their pistol first to avoid accidentally shooting themselves.

Col. West cleared his pistol. The Ba'athist terrorist took that as a prelude to losing teeth and having a funny jawline the rest of his life, and caved!

This approach has it's counterpart with a technique used by the Spanish Inquisition ~ they'd simply direct that the "instruments of torture be displayed" to their target!

The supposed "threat" existed only in the mind of the Ba'athist. It's not likely Col. West threatened to shoot the guy ~ hey, after all, he emptied his pistol!

[muawiyah]

The Constitution provides that Congress make regulations for the military. It can even call out the Militia.

When it comes to war, the top civilian is also the commander in chief, and the Congress works side by side with this individual and the military.

National survival takes precedence over "division of powers" in a war.

[Poohbah]

The Constitution provides that Congress make regulations for the military. It can even call out the Militia.

This isn't making regulations. It's interfering in the military justice system for political purposes.

I don't appreciate Democrats politicizing military justice (Tailhook), and I don't appreciate Republicans doing it, either.

[LibKill]

If I was in a white-knuckle life-or-death situation like that, I would sure hope that I had a Col. West for a Commanding Officer.

It would beat some 'by the book' pi$$ant by about a million light-years.

[muawiyah]

The Congress is not "political" in the sense you intimate. And, Congress is NOT interfering with military justice. In fact, Congress can criticize, ask about, investigate and change anything it wishes regarding the rules for the conduct of the military in any and all circumstances.

It's Constitutional.

[Ispy4u]

National survival takes precedence over "division of powers" in a war.

What do LTC West and National Survival have to do with each other?

[Poohbah]

The supposed "threat" existed only in the mind of the Ba'athist. It's not likely Col. West threatened to shoot the guy ~ hey, after all, he emptied his pistol!

Well, guess what?

You just defined the crime of assault, as per Article 128 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Look up Richard Toliver's The Interrogator to see how interrogations are done. The guy profiled in the book was a German who was extremely adept at getting Allied POWs to talk and disclose all manner of extremely sensitive information. And he never threatened them in any way.

[muawiyah]

The context in which each issue was addressed is highly important. Public and private schools are available in cities and towns nationwide to teach reading.

No more to be said!

[Pukin Dog]

You are way, way wrong. During war time, Congressional authority is limited to defunding war. They have no other authority after giving a President authorization for hostile activities. Congress can ask whatever they want, but the Administration can refuse to answer. If Congress wants to defund the effort in Iraq, they can reap the whirlwind.