Col. West we are proud of you. Keep up the good work SIR.
SEMPER FI
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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.
Col. West we are proud of you. Keep up the good work SIR.
SEMPER FI
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Nah. I have a better idea.
allen.west@us.army.mil
But you say: only that it was my hope that it occurr [review of the rules]...and given the fact that this fine officer had to violate the rule to obtain this outcome...I believe it is certainly warranted.
My point is that that the rules are not the issue. Every organization has a set of rules and the rules in the military are for the most part pretty good. The issue is whether the senior leadership exhibits appropriate judgment and discretion in the application of the rules with due regard to all of the facts and circumstance - which is a pretty fundamental requirement of any system of justice.
In the civilian world, for instance, it is not assault when an officer of the law threatens deadly force to persuade a potentially violent criminal to put down his weapon and submit to arrest, yet every element of article 128 is there except the issue of intent. Only a maniac of a DA would go pressing charges against every police officer who arrests a thug with a gun. For the most part DA's exhibit the kind of discretion that the DA is expected to exhibit.
When our senior leadership loses a visceral sense of who are the police and who are the thugs, the cause is doomed. That LTC West has to spend a moment of his time worrying about what might happen bodes ill for the vision of the folks who are running the whole thing. Our heros merit far better treatment.
I have now posted an article about the email exchange HERE and pinged you to it.
I have now posted an article about the email exchange HERE and pinged you to it.
I have now posted an article about the email exchange HERE and pinged you to it.
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