Hanging out the Troops (Hackworth Fails to Mention 17 Senators)

David Hackworth ^ | May 10, 2004 | David HAckworth

[Republican Red]

As an American citizen, I’m ashamed of the atrocities committed by Americans in Iraq. As a former professional soldier, I’m appalled not only by what has happened in the prisons there, but also by our military leadership. From the very top of the Pentagon down to the 320th Military Police Battalion, the brass have spent months covering up obscene behavior while placing the sole blame on Joe and Jill Grunt.

The damage to our country and our just war on terrorism is already devastating. And these war crimes not only diminish the sacrifices of our gallant soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, they place the troops at even greater risk. But I’m certain that these abhorrent acts wouldn’t have occurred had the right kind of leadership been exercised by the chain of command.

In 1951 in Korea, I was told by my commanding officer to kill four POWs and refused his direct order. I well remembered the Nazi generals’ sorry rationale for their despicable conduct: “We were just following orders.” I would get booted out of the Army before I went that route.

In 1965 in Vietnam, I saw a very connected intelligence captain torturing a POW with a field-telephone wire attached to his testicles and decided my personal belief system outweighed his father’s four stars. When I told him I’d shoot him if he didn’t cease and desist, the atrocity came to a screeching halt.

On both occasions, I knew I had the moral right. I’d been taught from the first day I put on a U.S. Army uniform that American soldiers don’t follow unlawful orders and that it was my duty to stop or report an illegal act. I also believed strongly that when dealing with POWs, “There but for the grace of God go I.”

The vast majority of our regular soldiers today are likewise well-trained, well-disciplined and have similar values. And they’ve conducted themselves during the occupation of Iraq in a manner that aptly reflects what America is all about.

But, unfortunately, this is not always the case with many Army Reserve and National Guard units that have been deployed overseas since 9/11. In fact, I’ve worn out several drums beating the readiness issue during face-to-face meetings with the top brass. As far back as 1989, I warned Secretary of the Army Mike Stone about the generally sad shape of our Reserve and Guard components. But while he listened up, little was done to correct the systemic problems.

And now, because Mr. Rumsfeld and too many of his generals are into a fast-fix mode, the Pentagon has been dispatching Reserve and Guard units to combat zones even when they aren’t good to go. For example, I know of two enhanced infantry brigades that were rated as not combat-ready by Training Center commanders but were still sent to Iraq because boots were needed on the ground.

Retired Master Sgt. William Lawson, who brought the atrocity story to SFTT.org, says the 800th Military Police Brigade is a prime example: “My nephew Chip, who’s been charged with war crimes, wasn’t trained to be a prison guard. He was a part-time soldier marginally trained for even conventional military police (MP) work. But Chip was such a good soldier that he was selected to escort Gen. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Staff, when Chip was guarding the vice president right after 9/11. Myers gave him both great reviews and his personal coin.”

“The bedrock truth about the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison is that they were so easily preventable,” adds SFTT (Soldiers for the Truth) Vice President Roger Charles, who researched this story for CBS News. “But that prevention required a recognition that the top people in the 800th were ill-prepared, incompetent and uncaring. The evidence clearly shows that the Department of the Army mafia was more concerned about protecting the image of the brigade commanding general, Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, than holding her and her officers accountable for the terrible situation, which they allowed to fester for months.”

Speaking of Karpinski, she’s received only a mild slap on the wrist as the brass were circling the wagons. Not a good sign that our country’s commanders intend to own up to their respective roles in this catastrophic breach of human rights, which will have consequences we all will have to pay for many years to come.

Col. David H. Hackworth (USA Ret.) is SFTT.org co-founder and Senior Military Columnist for DefenseWatch magazine. For information on his many books, go to his home page at Hackworth.com, where you can sign in for his free weekly Defending America. Send mail to P.O. Box 11179, Greenwich, CT 06831. His newest book is “Steel My Soldiers’ Hearts.” © 2004 David H. Hackworth. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.

[cyncooper]

8 of the 17 are demowits, no wonder Hackworth-less is holding back on releasing names.

It's more than 8. I think they're all dems except for Warner, and Lawson said right on tv today the names and that they included Warner because he's the chairman, and Rockefeller-a dem but not on the Armed Forces committee. I can't recall why Rockefeller was included but he was, and the response from his office was that since the uncle was writing about a nephew and not his immediate family they could not help him.

But the uncle most definitely said they contacted dems because they would be most sympathetic, they expected, to their plight. Perhaps he was serious (dope) or if he included some interesting info, perhaps the dems had some heads up to formulate a plan on how to use it at some point in the future (we're witnessing possibly that plan). It really depends on what the letter said.

[ken5050]

I think it will, for a copleofreasons..first, it takes time to filter down to the mass of Americans who don't follow this stuff with a passion, like we do...more importantly, the Dems are gonna screw it up..the left 50% of the party, is hard core anti-war..lok at Ted kennedyand Kucnich..the Dems are politically inept..remember the Wellstone Memorial.they keep steppng on their own cranks while wearing golf shoes..

[highlandbreeze]

Well now....

[cyncooper]

However, I am less confident than you appear to be, that the "Democrat senators were told" angle will get much airplay

Exactly. As I keep pointing out, it really matters what "they were told". If it wasn't any more than was in the media at the time, big D.

[highlandbreeze]

He was in the Alaska Nation Guard??!!!

[Southack]

"Here it is... not much. Think he's running scared?"

It's easy to tell that Hackworth and his fellow liberals are running scared because Hackworth is caught spinning in his above column for his website.

Notice that he says that "Retired Master Sgt. William Lawson, who brought the atrocity story to SFTT.org..."

What Hackworth is trying to do is to convince the reader that Lawson exposed a coverup.

In reality, the abuse was reported on 13 January 2004 by Spc. Joseph Darby, followed by a DoD press conference on January 16th, I believe...far in advance of the Lawson->Hackworth->CBS 60 minutes "expose."

Further, what Hackworth did by interfering with one of the courts martial was risk that the American public will learn of a gay porn ring inside our military prisons; hardly a bonanza for either the Left or for Democrats, much less for our own captured POW's who may be directly harmed because of this exposure. Worse, it's now apparent that Lawson contacted 17 Congressional Democrats months ago...who did nothing. They now stand to be hoisted by their own petard.

[John Lenin]

And the RATS had the nerve to question Rummy holding back the info that he had. This looks worse for them than it does for Rummy now. They blew it by trying to take the high ground and now we find out that demowits were just as guilty.

[DonaldDuke]

He was in the Alaska Nation Guard??!!!

Not Hackworth, but "Skydrifter". Skydrifter is an editor for Hackworth's rag, DefenseWatch. And also a raging antisemite, anti-american, pro-islamic hate-Bush nut.

[CWOJackson]

"And also a raging antisemite, anti-american, pro-islamic hate-Bush nut."

He fits in well with that group.

[af_vet_1981]

In 1965 in Vietnam, I saw a very connected intelligence captain torturing a POW with a field-telephone wire attached to his testicles and decided my personal belief system outweighed his father’s four stars. When I told him I’d shoot him if he didn’t cease and desist, the atrocity came to a screeching halt.

Did Col. Hackworth swear out a complaint against this alleged war criminal or is he another John Kerry ?

Class ?

Class ?

Class ?

He is not credible unless he did. Otherwise he witnessed a war crime and covered it up. If he participated in the release of classified evidence he is a traitor who put American lives at risk.

[af_vet_1981]

Hackworth is not only an accomplice to blackmail but also a liar.

An accomplice to blackmail in this case is treason.

Give the perps a fair trial and a fast and public hanging.

[cyncooper]

I despise the RATS, but what information from this letter do you suppose they had that we didn't have? Except a plea to get the nephew off.

But yes, they should have known from the public state of the record and this letter that the allegations were out there.

They always act like things are "new" when they're not. This is like story 5 or 6 just this year they've done that with.

I'm also confused by your phrase "they tried to take the high ground" Huh? I've never seen them try to do that.

Also, the use of "just as guilty". I reject that. The dems' attitude right now is to manipulate this information in any way they can against this administration, regardless of the fallout on anyone or anything else (the troops, us, our security and honor). Rumsfeld didn't hold a damn thing back so I don't know what you mean by "just as guilty".

[highlandbreeze]

Well, I've sseen some of "Skydrifter" posts on Liberty post. "war crime invasion of Afghanistan"? I guess he believes Bush is into heroin sales?

Um, we care about Hackworth why? You are known by your choice of friends.

[af_vet_1981]

If all this is true, then my respect for him grows.

Why ? He apparently left both of these war criminals in the military to prey on others. He is only beating his own drum without any offered evidence. Why should we believe anything he says or writes ? He sounds like John Kerry.

[John Lenin]

I'm speaking in RAT talk when I say guilty, they are calling for his head and they had the same info at almost the same time and it didn't hit the big media until a week ago. They want him to resign becuase they say he held back the story.

[Polybius]

I despise the RATS, but what information from this letter do you suppose they had that we didn't have? Except a plea to get the nephew off.

The common talking point coming out of the uncle who tried to blackmail the Army into dropping charges on the threat of releasing the photos and the family of Lynndie England is the same.

"My nephew is not guilty because he was just following orders."

"My sister is not guilty because she was following orders. Her job in the Army was to follow orders."

However, the Nuremberg Defense did not fly at Nuremberg and it does not fly in the U.S. Armed Forces.

U.S. servicemembers are trained to disobey illegal orders and report such misconduct to higher authoruty, That is exactly what Spc. Joseph Darby did.

Spc. Darby is the real hero of this entire mess. Hackworth is merely an accomplice to blackmail and attempted obstruction of justice.

[af_vet_1981]

Spc. Darby is the real hero of this entire mess. Hackworth is merely an accomplice to blackmail and attempted obstruction of justice.

Don't forget war crimes unless he reported them to his chain of command.

[AlbionGirl]

Good points, but if he did intervene in the specific situations he mentions, I respect that. If you don't, I respect that you're entitled not to.

This man gave a lot to his Country, and that can't be forgotten! Same goes for McCain and Kerry. I believe Hack believes he's helping the 'grunt', and I'm willing to take the good with the bad in a person of his caliber. IOW, we'll just have to agree to disagree on our assessment of him.

[cyncooper]

I've *heard* that. I want to *see* that.

Centcomm did announce possible photos when they announced the allegations.

I want to see if in the letter it actually says that threat I've seen oft cited today.

As to the "just following orders" nonsense, I see that for what it is, of course--but again want to see how detailed this letter was pertaining to that claim.

[cyncooper]

I've been following this and know everything you said and agree. I didn't say anything that contradicted that! I've been posting the same all over the place.