Posted on 11/06/2003 4:44:20 AM PST by Jeff Head
The following is Lt. Col. Allen B. West's own candid comment regarding the situation he faced in Iraq, as reported by the Washington Dispatch on November 5, 2003:
"I have never denied what happened and have always been brutally honest," said Col. West. "I accept responsibility for the episode, but my intent was to scare this individual and keep my soldiers out of a potential ambush. There were no further attacks from that town. We ... apprehended two other conspirators (a third fled town) and found out one of the conspirators was the father of a man we had detained for his Saddam Fedeyeen affiliation. "Colonel West takes personal responsibility for his actions. He makes no bones about it, he threatened this Iraqi spy bodliy harm to get information from him. And that is what he was, a spy working within the Iraqi Police Force that has been established and supported by the coalition authority. As a spy, under the so-called rules of war, I believe he could have shot the man. Perhaps that is an angle that should be explored.
In either case, Colonel West's actions no doubt saved the lives of Americans...the lives he is principally responsible for...and that was his motivation.
He understood that while he may have violated the rules (and he admits to and takes responsibility for this as well)...he also understood he was going to do what had to be done, in a war zone, to save the lives of the men under his command.
The rules were written by men and women sitting in safe seats far away from combat and the brutal reality of the moment. For the most part they are good rules and should not be violated. But there are times when the SHTF that you have to do what you must to save the lives of those you are responsible for, American lives, and accomplish the mission. Colonel West knew his greater responsibility and he performed it, regardless of personal cost. The trait of a true leader in my book.
President Truman incinerated tens of thousands of Japanese to save hundreds of thousands of Americans...and in so doing he also saved millions of Japanese. In today's world and PC nomenclature this might be considered a war crime...a violation of the "rules". But back then it was heralded by the soldiers as a God-send...and by Americans back home as what had to be done to end the war. People who had seen for themsleves the cold reality of four years of World War.
That generation is dying out and it seems we have forgottent their experiences and the lessons.
The reality is, that by scaring this man in the fashion he did...West not only saved American lives...he saved the lives of Iraqis as well.
God bless you Colonel West...you've got my back any time!
Charlie Mike.
I went through Department of the Army to the Public Affairs and the numbers were
703-588-1934
703-428-0711
The person answering courteously listened and did not immediately slam me to a comment line.
I recall calling Department of Defense in 1997 over Sara Lister's remark the Marine's were a little too extreme.
At that time the background sounded like they were taking heavy incoming and the fellow seemed delighted to be getting it.
I suggest that the people's opinion on this will matter.
I submit that the job of the command in this theater is to prevent us from ever having to see another celebration by looters who blew up a convoy or supply train or downed a helicopter and killed our people.
The job of command is to kill the bad guys and break their toys, not chickenshit on a friendly who doesn't shoot from ambush.
Our methods--if this incident serves as an illumination flare--are not adequate.
If they object to the discharge of the service sidearm, let them train for the method described by our friend another Army colonel which his "killers" used in Vietnam.
His happy countenance wound up on some Viet Cong wanted posters and his people bent some prisoners backwards over logs and poured helmets of water down their nose until they provided the necessary information.
It's your basic Patton: it's not about dying for your country; it's making the other fellow die for his.
But I am bothered like you what this says about our methods in the Sunni triangle. How the heck are we gonna win if the soldiers know every action will be second guessed by the REMF's??? It appears the PowerPoint Rangers are still in charge of the Army.
Allen West Defense Fund
c/o Angela West
6823 Coleman Dr.
Ft. Hood, TX 76544
Please show me where I did this. I appologize if you feel I have done so. That wasn't my intention at all.
Check my home page for more details about me.
Maybe I misunderstood your statement. Seems to me you consider me something of a "px ranger". Reeks of cowardly implications to me.
Anyway, if that wasn't your intention, the fault is mine for taking offense.
You have freepmail
What's happened to Barr? Goes to work for the ACLU, then thinks it's wrong for a Colonel to protect his men?
It's clearly a good thing that he's out of office.
You said "preserving the lives of his men is not his job." That's factually incorrect. At least it was when I was in the Corps anyway.
Maybe in todays Army 'perserving the lives of your men' ain't in your job description. If so, I sincerely weep for the lives of the poor bastards in your platoon.
A commander is responsible for the lives and well being of every swinging d*** under his command. Hell, a commander can be relieved if he doesn't keep his people healthy, fit, and most of all alive so they can fight.
So this Lt. Col fired a couple of rounds into a barrel of water and made a bad guy wet his pants. So frigging what. He prevented some of his people from getting killed. Apparently you think that's a bad thing.
And as far as me knowing how to use a grenade, I'll bet you I was tossing them before you were a gleam in your daddies eye Sgt.
Noncoms with an attitude like yours (hell, my people get paid to die and I'm here to make sure they do it in an orderly efficient military manner.) are a big part of the problem with todays Army.
But I guess it's easier to be a gutless wonder and say "I was just following the rules and that's how 4 or 5 of my people got their shit scattered." than it is to actually make a tough decision and then live with the consequences.
If I were doing your fitness evals and you uttered anything as contemtible as 'preserving the lives of my troops isn't my responsibility' in my presence not only would you never be promoted; your days of actually commanding troops in the field would be over, instantly.
Why don't you say that to some of the parents of the troops in your platoon Sgt and see what they have to say about it. I'll bet you'll get a real eye-opener. More likely though, you'll have trouble opening them for several days.
Better yet, why don't you say it to your CO and see what happens.
L
Col. West is a American hero, and American patriots will always remember him as one.
Show someone you care... LtCol Puckett is his attorney.
1. LtCol West - allen.west@us.army.mil
2. Mrs. West -angelawest877@msn.com
3. LtCol Puckett (ret) attorney - puckwood@cox.net
184 posted on 11/06/2003 8:21 PM EST by gogeo (A man can be judged by the quality of his supporters...and of his enemies.)
Allen West Defense Fund
c/o Angela West
6823 Coleman Dr.
Ft. Hood, TX 76544
186 posted on 11/06/2003 8:22 PM EST by gogeo (A man can be judged by the quality of his supporters...and of his enemies.)
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