Posted on 11/29/2005 5:43:05 PM PST by xzins
U.S. troops are obligated to stop Iraqi security forces from committing inhumane acts, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace said that if U.S. servicemembers see inhumane treatment, it is their obligation to “to intervene, to stop it.”
Pace’s remarks come after U.S. troops found a prison run by Iraqis in which detainees allegedly had been tortured.
He said the U.S. commander who found the prison acted correctly by working with the Iraqi government, which is investigating the matter.
After making his comments, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld intervened to clarify Pace’s remarks.
“I don’t think you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it; it’s to report it,” Rumsfeld said
“If they are physically present when inhumane treatment is taking place they have an obligation to try to stop it,” Pace replied.
Pace did not elaborate on to what lengths U.S. troops should go to stop Iraqi security forces from engaging in inhumane treatment.
Also Tuesday, Rumsfeld said the United States has a responsibility to train Iraqi security forces and tell Iraqi officials that they lose support from the international community when they act in a way contrary to the world community’s values.
I wonder if Rumsfeld and Pace will have a quiet conversation sometime soon.
> I wonder if Rumsfeld and Pace will have a quiet
> conversation sometime soon.
Or did before this all aired in public.
This could also be sending a message to the outsurgents
(they are officially no longer "insurgents", per Rummy,
who wasn't able to offer another description that
actually fits in your mouth :-).
Stand down now terrorists. As the US disengages,
it's "no more Mr. Nice Guy" for you.
Can you blame Iraqi soldiers when the 'detainees" probably blew up their friends and relatives?
It's perfectly understandable.
That's one of the things that makes following the CJCS's orders very difficult to do.
No Secretary of Defense would stand by for much of that sort of reply given to Rumsfeld by Pace. Having said that, lets just come on home now because everyday that passes, we apply more and more political correctness to our tactics. Put into plain English, we are denying ourselves the chance to win, just as we did in Vietnam. Lets learn from Vietnam and stop before 56,000 dead Americans result again.
They won't stop killing us just because we come home.
Of course they wont stop killing us because we come home. Thats why we are there in the first place, they were killing us here. But our pansy government and people rather bow and scrape to the gods of political correctness than do what has to be done. Our country has a dim future it seems, unless we snap out of the mentality.
I think you nailed it. Pace and Rumsfeld know each other very well, and have worked closely for four years. By this time, they are singing from the same hymnal.
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