I sincerely doubt that "Thousands of LTCs across Iraq" are faced with a time sensitive situation regarding an ambush on thier men the way LTC West was.
"Thousands of LTCs across Iraq" may have detainees that they believe to have information but I sincerely doubt the information 99.99% of the detainees have is time sensitive information of this nature.
they adjust the operations to mitigate the percieved risk and take actions to counter enemy operations.
And if we "adjust the operations to mitigate the perceived risk" enough we can give Iraq back to the forces of evil, namely Sadham and his men. We can just pull out and we won't lose one more person in Iraq. Is this the type of thing you would rather see?
Beating prisoners, mock executions, and torture haven't won our enemies any wars
Now you add in torture? Did LTC West beat the person? Did LTC West order his men to beat the person? Did LTC West see his men beating the person? Can you answer any of these questions with 100% accuracy?
Or did LTC West possibly save this person's life by pulling him out of a beating and firing a couple of shots?
I'm not saying this was the way it was, I'm just pointing out that unless you were there the only thing we can do is voice an opinion.
This WAS a battlefield operation, there WAS an ambush planned, the person that had these things done to him DID have information that allowed LTC West to avoid that ambush. Those are the pertinenet facts as I see them.
LTC West's actions may have not been entirely correct but, IMO, they were needed and the attention they have received is far out of keeping with the harm they caused.
Pull a rank, take pay, restriction, etc, but to CASHIER the man without his pension after serving his country for as long as he did? LTC West doesn't deserve that, IMHO.