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.
Colonel West deserves all the condieration and attention we can muster for him. I would pray to God that such a man would lead my own sons in war.
As I ponder this, I can not help but think to myself how rare good solid O5's and O6's are. After eight years of clinton and I'm sorry to say, the four previous years, I am a bit surprised that there are any "God, Honor, Duty, Country" officers willing to put their men first left above the rank of O3.
Just a thught, more of a private ramble I would suspect, but, bump just the same.
Nailed squarely on the head.
I know he is exactly the type of officer I would want leading my sons. The kind of guy you know your sons would be in good hands with...that all possible would be done to protect them in a war zone or any place else.
1) Contact your congressional reps and senators.
2) Ask relatives, friends and neighbors to do the same.
2) Write editorials.
4) Start email chains advocating all of the above.
No one is talking this up...and they should.
Get the email chains going, infrom your relatives, freinds and neighbors of Col. West's plight and ask them to contact all of their congressional reps.
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