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Colonel West...you've got my back any time
Self
| 6 Nov 2003
| Jeff Head
Posted on 11/06/2003 4:44:20 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Jeff Head
Col. West, God bless you and keep you safe from these jerks. I would place my sons and my grandsons in his care anytime.
We need more fine and caring officers like Col. west.
221
posted on
11/08/2003 9:11:20 PM PST
by
meema
To: AndyJackson
You should get some new glasses. You can't read, and what you do read you can't comprehend. I hope it's because you drink too much because if it isn't you have a real problem.
Aside from that little tirade, I won't bash you any more. You really aren't worth the effort, and frankly I don't care what you think of my leadership abilities or style.
You try to make it seem that you know alot about the military, and then you want to launch in to a rant about how President Bush or SECDEF Rumsfeld are obviously not qualified in your view to run this operation. You and others here want the chain of command to exert influence on military judicial proceedings. Something that, if you knew half of what you want others to think, will certainly corrupt the military justice system.
No matter how many rants you post here, how many petitions you sign, or how much money you give to LTC West's "defense fund" in the end justice will be served. LTC West may serve time in prison, and he may not. Time will tell, truth will prevail, and your outrage will have been for naught.
222
posted on
11/08/2003 10:23:43 PM PST
by
Ispy4u
(I bet that puts a bee in your bonnet.)
To: Ispy4u
You try to make it seem that you know alot about the militaryRetired 06 Navy according to the paperwork on my desk.
To: Ispy4u
you want to launch in to a rant about how President Bush or SECDEF Rumsfeld are obviously not qualified in your view to run this operation</I. You are putting words in my mouth. If, however, they think that they can go into a place like Iraq and everything is going to be nice and neat and clean, as you apparently do, then they are as mistaken as you. But I don't think they think that. I think that there is some Chickens#it commander between them and West who forgot what is going on here.
. You and others here want the chain of command to exert influence on military judicial proceedings.
Boy if you think that military judicial proceedings of this kind are not politically motivated you are wet behind the ears. The officer who has decided to convene a Court Martial in this case is certainly a reed in the political wind, and I and a lot of others want to make sure that the political wind is a huricane blowing in a direction that supports the troops on the ground.
To: gogeo
Thank you, thank you!
I have been looking for these for a week.
Nothing speaks as loudly as support from tens of thousands when a clear injustice is publicized.
225
posted on
11/09/2003 11:17:19 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: B4Ranch
What do you think of us actually putting our money where our mouth is and kicking up some cash for LTC West? Can somebody use a ping list to promote this idea and see where it goes? Count me in. 50000 people kicking in $5 a month can work wonders. It's the secret weapon of the domestic enemy.
226
posted on
11/09/2003 11:19:34 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: gogeo
: )
That feels good.
All three of those email addresses have now received emails of support from one additional American.
227
posted on
11/09/2003 11:36:51 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: gogeo
Perhaps you would like to contribute to his defense fund... Also done.
As I said, 50000 Americans contributing $5 a month, can work wonders.
He has gotten my first 20 months worth.
228
posted on
11/09/2003 11:42:10 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: Ispy4u
Put downs...that seems to be the primary response to my arguments. Are any of you smart enough to debate? How does one debate a brick?
Intellect must make choices. Some choices are not worth the bother.
229
posted on
11/09/2003 11:45:06 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: Ispy4u
And you sound like a moron. A failing tolerable in civilian life.
Lethal in combat.
Think about it.
230
posted on
11/09/2003 11:48:28 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: StarCMC
I have signed the petition.
My only disappointment is the site's failure to provide feedback as to how many signatures have been collected thus far.
231
posted on
11/09/2003 11:58:09 AM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: Ispy4u
Time will tell, truth will prevail, and your outrage will have been for naught. This nut seems to be on some kind of a delusional trip. How many years in the military and still a Sgt?
Any guesses as to why?
I vote for copernican syndrome.
Presumptuous twit!
232
posted on
11/09/2003 12:00:10 PM PST
by
Publius6961
(40% of Californians are as dumb as a sack of rocks.)
To: AndyJackson
It's much easier to differentiate between quotes and rebuttals if you learn to close a tag. I wonder what that preview button is for?
There is not one person in the military right now who has forgotton what is going on here. Just because you don't think that certain soldiers don't have to obey the law you want to disparage the service of dedicated professionals by prefacing your attack with "some". Get a clue, the military justice system is going to run its course, and when it does you just may be pleasantly surprised by a ruling that backs up LTC West's action. If that occurs he will have performed a valuble service to those who may have to make a decision like his again. But if he loses and the ruling is against LTC West, then the ROE and treatment of detainees will be clarified, and LTC West will get a just punishment. In either situation he will be judged fairly.
I never suggested that the situation in Iraq be neat and clean.
If you want to support the troops on the ground, then you should let them all do their job. Yes that includes the JAG.
233
posted on
11/09/2003 1:19:40 PM PST
by
Ispy4u
(I bet that puts a bee in your bonnet.)
To: Publius6961
Last I heard -- Friday night I think -- it was around 70,000!!
234
posted on
11/09/2003 9:49:54 PM PST
by
StarCMC
(God protect the 969th in Iraq and their Captain, my brother...God protect them all!)
To: AndyJackson
Ispy has me thinking of the command officer in Heartbreak Ridge who wouldn't issue equipment without the proper requisition forms...
235
posted on
11/10/2003 9:11:52 AM PST
by
gogeo
(A man can be judged by the quality of his supporters...and of his enemies.)
To: Ispy4u
You and others here want the chain of command to exert influence on military judicial proceedings. Something that, if you knew half of what you want others to think, will certainly corrupt the military justice system. No matter how many rants you post here, how many petitions you sign, or how much money you give to LTC West's "defense fund" in the end justice will be served. LTC West may serve time in prison, and he may not. Time will tell, truth will prevail, and your outrage will have been for naught. ...and for all those who still believe in the Easter Bunny, please raise your hands...
The military has been politicized. I can't believe someone who's serving has not seen that.
236
posted on
11/10/2003 9:21:26 AM PST
by
gogeo
(A man can be judged by the quality of his supporters...and of his enemies.)
To: af_vet_rr
I agree, and Col. West's own actions indicate he is willing to be accountable for the episode...he reported it himself.
I believe there should also be a review of the "rules" as a result of this episode.
Colonel West's actions allowed his unit to fulfill its mission while minimizing the loss of American lives. Adherance to the "rules", in all liklihood, in this case, would not have allowed that to happen. Therefore, his actions represent a beginning point for that review.
His superiors should indeed indicate to him that adherance is important...but then he should also be recognized for the outcome and for his own willingness to put himself on the line (which is exactly what he did) in order to ensure that his mission was accomplished and that the lives of those he was responsible for were saved. Sort of sounds like something "above and beyond the call of duty" to me...and in this case it worked out.
He should be recognized and applauded for that...every bit as much as he would have been prosecuted and punished had it not worked out (ie. had there been no plan to kill Americans that was thwarted).
Just my opinion.
Jeff
To: af_vet_1981; Eastbound; archy; Ispy4u
FIGHT THE ENEMY.
That boils it down to the most fundamental issue, and we should also analyze the circumstance as a whole to see that this is exactly what West was able to do.
Colonel West violated the rules in a relatively minor way in a very time-critical, combat set of conditions. In so doing he not only was able to accomplish his mission (securing and pacifying the area)...he was able to do so while minimizing the loss of American life. He displayed admirable qualitities of discretion, judgement and accountability in the circumstances he was presented with which allowed him to secure the outcome he did in the time frame presented him.
That outcome demands a review of the rules in this case IMHO, because had he adhered, in all likelihood he would not have prevented or thwarted the attack (therefore not fulfilling his mission) and he would most likely have lost more lives than he did (which was zero for this particular set of circumstances).
So, while some verbal reminder to him of the importance of adhereing to the written rules may be in order...he should also be recognized and lauded for his willingness to put himself and his own career on the line in order to achieve the accomplishment of his mission with minimum US losses. Such wllingness to sacrifice and put himself at personal risk in order to accomplish the mission would, at another time, be called "service above and beyond the call of duty".
Had he failed...had he not thwarted the attack or found that there was not attack...then his actions would have potentially warranted a more severe reprimand and a mark on his military record...potentially even a justifiable court martial.
But that's not what happened. If everything is as it appears in all of the reports I have read about this, then he took the risk...and it was a personal one...it panned out and the mission was accomplished and lives were saved. That warrants our respect and our praise IMHO.
All of that pretty much some up my own thoughts on the matter.
Jeff
To: harpseal; Squantos; Travis McGee
To: Leatherneck_MT
He defintely should receive a commendation for putting himself at risk in order to accomplish his misison and preserve American lives.
At another time, we might call that "service above and beyond the call of duty".
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