LTC Al West Responds to FR Article

Personal Correspondence | 13 November 2003 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

I recently wrote an article an published on FreeRepublic entitled Colonel West...you've got my back anytime.

That article haas received a lot of attention and became a very good thread with people inside and outside the military analyzing and commneting on the episode in Iraq where this fine Lt. Colonel acted on his own volition in a time-sensitive, combat environment to extract information from an enemy spy within the coalition fomred and supported Iraqi Police Force.

The method of intimidation Colonel West used to extract the information has become the center of controversy and is leading to military legal proceedings against the Colone...despite the fact that the information panned out, other enemies conspirators were caught and an enemy ambush against American forces was averted.

It has been my own position that while Colonel West's actions may have violated general rules concerning enemy detainees or prisoners, his dicretion and initiative in accomplishing his mission (securing and pacifying the area of operation) while minimizing American casualties should be applauded and should lead to subtle changes in the rules to ensure that such successful initiative and disretion is not punished in the future.

Colonel West did not harm the prisoner and had no intention of doing so.

Having been given Colonel West's military email in the course of discussing that initial article on FreeRepublic, I emailed him informing him of the article and of the strong support he has amongst the public. I presumed (as it turned out correctly) that he was receiving hundreds of emails a day and that I would probably not hear from him.

To my surprise, I did hear from him and have now carried on an exchange of emails with him regarding his circumstances and plans. He has given me permission to post the email he responded to me with in the hopes that people will understand his position, his plans and his feelings regarding this episode.

Here is that email:

Mr Head,

You honor me greatly and your words have made this ordeal a bit more palatable. I am humbled by the support and care of the Americanpeople and tell them all I love my Land and my Army.

However, my road has ended and I accept that and will gladly take the reward and commendation of a hug from my wife and daughters.

Please remember our family in your prayers and God bless you and all of America!

Regards,

LTC Al West

Lt. Colonel Al West is a great leader who exhibits that rare quality of being willing to take great personal risk in the accomplishment of his mission and the protection of the troops under his commmand in doing so. He also has been and remains willing to take personal accountability for the risks.

At almost any other time in history we would call that type of action in a combat zone "service above and beyond the call of duty".

He deserves our support and our prayers. I pray that he will not be marked by this incident, that he will be allowed to retain his full military honor and retirement and that he will write his story for all Americans to read. I have encouraged him to do so.

[Jeff Head]

Here is LTC West's own response to the article, "Col. West...you'be got my back anytime."

[Jeff Head]

My Dad told me the same thing occurred in the years prior to WW II. When the real shooting started, he indicated it was 18 months or so before they were weeded out, either by retirement, drummed out...or death in combat in situations where those attitudes could not countenance the enemy we faced.

Problem was, of course, a lot of others went down with them.

[Darksheare]

Yes.
One would think we'd have learned by now.
But every generation seems to need to relearn the mistakes of the previous generation.
The danger is: The Soviet Union collapsed largely because it had a military built on lies. The higher ups were told whatever they wanted to hear.
This same thing has been going on in our military, our airial refueling force needs to be replaced for example, but the idiots in charge said we were 'good to go until 2040.'
This is one example of the 'say whatever they want to hear' mentality that has crept into the services.

One would hope that lessons learned previously about this would have gone to heart, but it hasn't.
Instead, they go after the guys with the guts and the grit, like the LTC here, and reward the guys who say what they want to hear.

[Jeff Head]

I pray we can get a handle on it now because I believe we are potentially on the verge of a much more serious, world-wide conflagration probably centered on the Chinese within a few years.

I pray I am wrong, but I have written a fictional series of novels about that very thing called, The Dragon's Fury Series. I'd be interested in your take on the premise.

[Dante3]

My sentiments also. An editorial in today's The Washington Times also supports him.

[Darksheare]

All too plausible.
And with the leftists here in the US aiding and abetting those who seek to slaughter us by the thousands, it may be worse than any of us can imagine should something like that occur.

[Jeff Head]

There are millions here who support him, and I am glad to see more and more official, large-publications picking that up.

[Jeff Head]

it may be worse than any of us can imagine should something like that occur.

That is exactly what I depict in the first Volume of the series. orders of magnitude worse than 911...and you know what? The constitution doesn't get suspended in the process of coming back from it in the follow-on novels.

[Darksheare]

I would hope that is the way it would go.
But I know my neighbors, they would choose willingly to be government cattle than to be free citizens.
Of course, that's New York stae.
Famous for 14 years of Emperor Cuomo.
And worse.

A nuclear Iran, North korea, and attempts by terrs to get their hands on nukes makes me nervous.
North Korea isn't above selling something like that to someone with enough foreign cash.
China would assist as well, especially if it meant disgracing the US and weakening what they see as our grip on the world. (That is debatable, but they are like the US Left, the world can only be the way they view it and no other.)
*snort*

On a postive side: Should something like that happen, I know that all I have to do is link up with the local FReepers.
"Freedom's banner will stand as long as there is someone willing to defend it."

[Jeff Head]

"Freedom's banner will stand as long as there is someone willing to defend it."

Amen to that. And there are millions, who are not Freepers (yet...hehehe) who feel exactly the same.

For an example of that in action from 2001...read this about the Stand at Klamath Falls.

These sentiments exist all across rural America...in "fly-over" country.

Best Fregards.

[Darksheare]

Interesting.
If the enviro wackos succeed in forcing all agriculture, or at least a good portion of it, to cease here in the US we will see many more "Chi-Chi's Hep A" outbreak cases.
It's sick that we export most of our produce and import less safe food from other countries.

[MissAmericanPie]

It's a shame and a disgrace the way our brave soldiers are limited in their ability to make and execute decisions on the ground neccessary to save the lives of themselves and their men.

This is why a majority of people, that may agree with the war, scream for them to come home. D.C., the Pentagon, the Congress, and the President, need to get the message, GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET THEM FIGHT, STOP HAMSTRINGING.

[Chu Gary]

I suggest that the Lt Colonel write a biography upon his return to the U.S. and sell it for $25 - $30 a pop. I'll surely buy it as I'm sure most Freepers and most right-thinking Americans will. This guy could more than replace what the liberal beauracrats are trying to siphon off from him, then make innumerable paid appearances and speeches for 1 - 2 years. I'm sure he'd be welcome at any Legion hall.

[Hawkeye2]

This man was not tortured in the least. . . It was my understanding that West allowed his men to pummel and beat the prisoner until he himself took the lead and made the prisoner believe that he was about to blow his head off. That is when he fired his side arm near the man's head. When the enemy uses that type of tactic on our personnel, are they justified? Our soldiers have a Code of Conduct they are expected to honor when they are POWs. We deplore the tactics that the enemy uses to break a soldier's will to resist. How do we justify using the same or similar tactics? In other words, if West was the enemy, would we applaude his behavior? Today, many enemy combatants, particularly conscripts, willingly surrender to us because we have a reputation for humane treatment of POWs. It is imperative that we continue to maintain that reputation. Col. West put that reputation, in some degree, at risk. In the long run, that can only lead to more resistance on the part of our enemies.

[Jeff Head]

I respect what you have to say and in general agree with it. But we disagree on the level of treatment that constitutes inhumane, atrocious behavior. Like I said, in the time-critical combat situation that West faced...I not only do not find fault with him, I believe what he did was prudent.

In all-out war where you have an enemy who wants nothing more than to kill as many of your as he can, and wants nothing more than to destroy your way of life...you have to take the steps necessary to preserve your way of life. That does not mean you enjoy it, and it does not mean you sadistically torture or maim prisoners for the sake of the sadsim.

Like I said, ask WW II vets who fought German spies posing as US soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge. Or ask US Marines and Army and Navy personnel who fought the Jpanese on ISlands like Tareawa, Guadalcanal, Okinawa, etc. They are not proud of what they had to do to win...but they did it anyway so we could sit here in the peace and comfort of our homes and freedom and theorize about it.

West took responsibility and is willing to be accountable for what he did. He knew it crossed a line. There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, relatives and friends whose sons are in all likelihood alive today because of what he did who are glad he crossed that line. Stack that up to a few bruises and a deflated ego. Ask those parents how they feel...better yet, imagine your own son, daughter, brother, friend and tell me you would willingly sacrifice their life and liberty over the minor infraction of the rules Col. West made. I would not.

Our service personnel have been put in the position to do much worse in the past...in war, they probably will have to do so in the future. I oray to God that they will have the strength and the wisdom to do what is right, however difficult, to preserve liberty and our way of life.

[vetvetdoug]

I would serve under Lt.Col. West any day of the week. This is coming from a former hardstriper E-6. God Bless you Col. West.

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

Jeff,

What type of counsel does the Colonel have, civilian or military?

SIC

[Jeff Head]

His lawyer is a retired Marine LTC.

[Jeff Head]

Same here...and I would proudly have my sons serve under such an officer.

[Hawkeye2]

West took responsibility and is willing to be accountable for what he did. He knew it crossed a line. ............ I’m glad to hear that. We cannot have soldiers deciding which orders they will obey and which they will not. No one would defend the platoon leader who went south when he was ordered to go north. “I was simply trying to save the lives of my men,” would not be a valid defense. Even if it accomplished his stated objective, he would still be subject to disciplinary action. I see no difference in Col. West’s actions. He had orders and he chose to disregard them. If what West did was the right thing, then why shouldn't every platoon leader follow his example, and disregard their orders if they have reason to believe it will put their men at risk?