General Frank H. Kearney
Tell me about it! The Green Beret was in a bad situation in war.
On Oct. 13, 2006, when Captain Staffel learned that Mr. Buntangyar could be found in a home near the village where his detachment was guarding a medical convoy, he ordered a seven-man team to investigate the tip.
Driving toward Ster Kalay in two government vans, the Americans called the Afghan national police and border patrol officers to assist them, Mr. Waple said. Mr. Buntangyar had already been “vetted as a target” by American commanders, as an enemy combatant who could be legally killed once he was positively identified, Mr. Waple said.
After the Afghan police called Mr. Buntangyar outside and twice asked him to identify himself, they signaled, using a prearranged hand gesture, to Sergeant Anderson, concealed with a rifle about 100 yards away, Mr. Waple said.
The highest-ranking witness called to testify at the soldiers’ hearing Tuesday will be General Kearney, though it is unclear whether he will comply with the request.
Also scheduled to testify is Sgt. First Class Scott R. Haarer, a paralegal on General Kearney’s staff last October who, as part of the military justice procedure, signed the forms that charged Captain Staffel and Sergeant Anderson with murder.
In a notarized statement, Sergeant Haarer told defense lawyers last week that he would not have accused the soldiers of any crime if he had known that the Criminal Investigation Command had determined that the shooting was justified.
This doesn't sound good at all when a commander won't listen to the investigative service that clears the soldiers of wrong doing.
General Frank H. Kearney should be stripped of his commission and tried for treason.
He is undermining the mission at the expense of our soldiers. He’s had an axe to grind regarding rules of engagement and excessive force even when official investigations show no wrongdoing.
It’s time for our CiC to do something about this so-called “general.”
But to the two-star general in charge of the Special Operations forces in Afghanistan at the time, Frank H. Kearney, who has since become a three-star general, the episode appeared to be an unauthorized, illegal killing. In June, after two military investigations, General Kearney moved to have murder charges brought against Captain Staffel and Sergeant Anderson..............The soldiers’ cases also highlight the level of scrutiny that General Kearney, who also ordered swift investigations into an elite Marine unit accused of killing Afghan civilians last March, has given to the actions of some of the most specialized and independent American troops fighting Taliban and insurgent forces along the border with Pakistan.
Mark Waple, a civilian lawyer representing Captain Staffel, said the charges against his client and Sergeant Anderson carry a whiff of “military politics.” In an interview, Mr. Waple said that General Kearney proceeded with murder charges against the two soldiers even after an investigation by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command concluded in April that the shooting had been “justifiable homicide.”
Let me just add this, I was referring to Murtha, General Kearney, Hillary, etc,. when I meant “thank god they were not around during WWII” Not our soldiers. Just posting that to clarify what I was referring to!
General Frank H. Kearney
This is ridiculous. I recall all the talk about how Bush was going to revitalize the demoralized military after eight years of Clinton. Letting the ignorant Leftist JAG’s f*ck the troops time and again, I conclude that things are worse now. If we’re not going to fight and win, then we should get the hell out.
This guy was a bomb maker! Why are these two even being considered to stand trial?
And, twice at that! (WWI)
This is why my son left the Corps.
And he is worried about being recalled - not because of the combat - been that and has the tshirt...the lawyers have him scared.
Just WTF?
SF guys should first find out if they have permission to be on private property. If the owner is unknown, a search should be undertake through court records or a notice of trespassing put in the local newspaper, goat hide, or cried out at noon at the well. There upon and only can the team progress, but only on pre permission-ed land and for what ever contracted period of time. Teams will leave only light footprints, and take only pictures. Some owners will not allow firearms, so , arrangements must be planed for air drops or use of non firearm weapons( sticks, rocks, knives under 4 inches ).
It would have been German alright or Japanese.
Here is General Kearney, in an "interview" with the Washington Post, siding with Afghan witnesses against his own troops.
And all this during an ongoing investigation.
Army Maj. Gen. Frank Kearney, head of U.S. Special Operations Command-Central Command, told the newspaper in an unusually candid telephone interview that statements from the Marine special operations company at the heart of the ongoing investigation appeared to be in conflict with statements made by Afghan witnesses. He said there was no evidence to support the Marines’ contention that they took small-arms fire after a suicide bomber crashed into their convoy on March 4.
“We found … no brass that we can confirm that small-arms fire came at them,” Kearney, referring to shell casings, told the newspaper. “We have testimony from Marines that is in conflict with unanimous testimony from civilians at the sites.”
Kearney ordered the initial investigation into the alleged shootings, which reportedly left roughly a dozen killed and many more wounded. He has since referred the matter to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for possible criminal charges.
Way back when we were opening the west there was a Fort Kearney on the Oregon Trail. Makes you wonder......
Must-read thread.
Fayetteville Observer 9-29-07 Green Berets Cleared in Article 32
Kearney
“The Article 32 investigation accomplished my intent,” Kearney said. “An experienced Special Forces officer provided an independent and thorough review of the facts in this case. The Article 32 investigation resolved the conflicting findings of the two previous investigations and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Military Justice System.”
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There were no conflicting findings in the two previous investigations and the Military Justice System failing because it allowed an ***hole like Kearney to file charges in a case where the soldiers were cleared. Kearney is going to try and hide behind this crap… Follow O’Reilly for more coverage on Kearney. He said he’s going after Kearney. Somebody should!