"Responsibility, a Vital and Inescapable Military Attribute" By Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.

Free Republic Network ^ | 5-24-04 | By Col. Bob Pappas, USMC, Ret.

[Bob J]

The images of the American guards at Abu Ghraib Prison posing for the camera all the while grinning at the plight of their charges was a disgusting display of ignorance, perversion and inhumanity. One photo shows a young female soldier while sporting a wide grin, pointing in the direction of the genitals of a naked male prisoner; another photo shows the same grinning female displaying a big thumbs up in front of a human pyramid of naked men. Judging from her appearance and facial expression, one might conclude that she is some kind of sexual pervert who had never seen the real thing. Army Female Brigadier General, Janis Karpinski, who was responsible for the prison at the time of the offenses is presently traveling the media circuit in a frenzied effort to exculpate her guilt. Even the least experienced military leaders know, and certainly she knew or should have known, that she is responsible for everything she and/or subordinates did or failed to do. For a senior military officer to open a public relations offensive to promote her “innocence,” claim “scapegoating” because of her gender, while publicly asserting ignorance of events under her command is weak at best and otherwise, damning. We’ll see what the investigation and courts martial finds.

Where in the world did the Army find this poor excuse for an officer? Why did it promote her and worse yet, why did it put her in charge of prisons in Iraq? Do we have leaders who actually believe that by the wave of their hands they can change fourteen centuries of customs held dear by those people? But, despite initial Army reluctance to send her to Iraq where the MP Brigade under her command preceded her, it evidently caved in to politically correct forces. What a disaster, and predictable without really trying! She failed, miserably, and should be “man” enough to admit it. “I was too busy, I had so many others prisons and duties for which I was responsible.” Horsefeathers! Karpinski “blew it” and should have the integrity to face up to it. Now, she is feverishly using public appearances to obfuscate the fact that one investigative report portrays her command as slovenly, undisciplined and out of control; the proof is in the pudding.

Emerging facts reveal that there were American soldiers and civilian contractors who violated the Geneva Conventions, the Uniform Code of Military Justice and basic human dignity that was on par with the behavior of the enemy in this war; and the latter is about as low as they can decline. For the “Arab world” to be outraged is ignorant, disingenuous, illogical and laughable, but predictable; they need to take a good look in the mirror. But having noted that, it doesn’t excuse illegal and disgusting behavior by a handful of American soldiers. Of course, the American neo-Marxist “liberal” left will pile on their propaganda campaign that intentionally or otherwise supports the enemy. No surprise there.

To begin to resolve this, now is the time for Bush to borrow the Bill Clinton line: “we will find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.” Except, rather than empty words that precisely characterize Clinton, especially since the scandalous, outrageous behavior involves females, having issued the command, politicians should stay out of the way and let the Military Justice System bring them to the full force of UCMJ justice. That is, if the military system has any “cajones” remaining for doing what is right instead of behaving like politically correct “girlymen.”

Semper Fidelis