[SLB]

I have to wonder about an ax to grind from his driver, PFC Johnson. "He was just scared," Johnson described the detainee. "I knew it was wrong."
Wasn't it also wrong for the Iraqis to set up an ambush?

If we would have had that same amount of intel on 23 Dec '70 there would have been two less names on that long black wall in Washington, DC.

[Cogadh na Sith]

there would have been two less names on that long black wall in Washington, DC.

There it is....

[Jeff Head]

I am still corresponding with LTC West. I traded em,ails with him yesterday before the hearing started and posted part of his email at post 242 on this thread.

My impression is, from other emails and information I have gathered, that there are axes being ground out here to some extent.

The over-riding issue is simple. Did West extract time-critical information from this prisoner that prevented an attack on US forces and prevented accompanying casualties. Everything I have heard, from both West and other contacts I have over there tells me it did.

West used his judgement and discretion to put his own career at risk to get this info. it panned out and he did not really harm the spy..just scared him. My gosh...think on that for a minute. A spy dressed in the coalition supported Iraqi police there to plan and implement attacks against Americans.

THE FRIGGIN' SPY IS THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO BE MADE AN EXAMPLE OF HERE!

Pardon my cyber-yelling, but despite the infraction, for the which West has accepted responsibility and accountability, many people have this whole thing bass ackwards here.