North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones Calls for Inquiry of Army General Involved in Soldier Scrutiny

Fox News ^ | Oct 17, 2007 | Jennifer Griffin and Justin Fishel

[RDTF]

WASHINGTON — Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., has asked the Pentagon to open an investigation of a high-ranking Army official who is at the center of two probes involving possible wrong-doing by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Jones said he believes Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney has overstepped his authority in the investigations and in turn is hurting troops' morale.

"When men and women are asked to go to war for this country, then in my humble opinion they should be given every benefit of the doubt, and if there are any questions then they should not be handled in the press," Jones said in an interview with FOX News.

Two incidents in particular have caught Jones' attention. One involves a gunfight following a March 4 car bombing of a Marine convoy in Bandikot, Afghanistan, which ended with 19 Afghan civilians reported dead, and an Army colonel apologizing for the incident that he called "a stain on the forces' honor."

The colonel authorized payment of reparations to the victim's families before a military criminal investigation was complete.

Kearney — who at the time was major general in charge of Special Operations in Afghanistan at the time, and has since been given a three-star general rank — ordered the unit pulled out of Afghanistan.

The Marines have since ordered their own investigation, of which Kearney is not in command. Some feel that Kearney's decision to redeploy the Marine unit before an investigation was complete colored the perception as to whether the unit was guilty or not and amounted to a rush to judgment. However, Kearney has said in the past that the hostile environment in Afghanistan meant the unit could no longer operate there and needed to be pulled out of theater immediately.

-snip-

[RDTF]

Brit Hume had this on tonight - glad to see it getting publicity

[debm29palms]

Where are you? PING!!!

[org.whodat]

It’s about time, they need to take this incompetent mans stars and tell him to stick them where the sun don’t shine as they walk him out the door.

[vetsvette]

Jones is doing his job, the good General appears to be peace-nick in wolf’s clothing. We need warriors in staff positions.

[Bahbah]

There is something wrong with this guy, I think.

I hope there are mechanisms in the military to deal with this sort of thing.

[piytar]

That POS prsecuting lt. col. JAG attorney handling the Haditha case needs to be likewise scrutinized (and preferably busted in rank and sent to he front lines as a PFC where he can worry about the assinine ROEs he’s trying to use to burn those Marines). For that matter, can we do the same thing to that traitorous POS Murtha?

[acapesket]

I’m glad they are going after Kearney but if I am not mistaken, is this not the same Walter Jones who has consistently voted against the Prez and party?
Trying to clean up his image prior to the election?
I could be wrong but that name sticks in my craw for 2 major votes which I can’t recall. I have CRS disease!

[em2vn]

“However, Kearney has said in the past that the hostile environment in Afghanistan meant the unit could no longer operate there and needed to be pulled out of theater immediately.”
Any SPECOPS operator is in the game to play in a hostile environment. What the hell is Kearney talking about?

[billmor]

Lt Gen just wants to be top dog, that’s what his game is...He has a General MacArthur Complex and we all know how that ended..

Here, read this where he is accused of command interference into an investigation...http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071010/FOREIGN/110100079/1001

He needs to be relieved of command ASAP for the good of our troops...Gen Pace probably would have relieved him of command in a heartbeat..He’s Army: West Point ‘76,Armor,Ranger,Airborne Infantry,SOCOM...But-way too quick to pull the trigger...Truman recognized that in MacArthur..So did some of the other Commanding Generals during WW II and Korea..now this current POTUS needs to recognize that in Gen Kearney...and soon

[billmor]

Also- here is the source for the background on Gen Kearney

“http://www.special-operations-technology.com/article.cfm?DocID=1356";

hmm..That link did not work, it goes to the Home Page of Special Operations Technology online edition,Home Page, but the article/interview with Gen. Kearney was in Volume 4,Issue 2

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

Kearney has said in the past that the hostile environment in Afghanistan meant the unit could no longer operate there and needed to be pulled out of theater immediately

[freema]

HERE I IS, DEB!!

Let’s make sure no one is fooled by this POS RHINO WALTER B. JONES. Born of a dem, votes like a dem.

It’s not who ya know, Walter B.
It’s who ya blow.

He votes and sounds just like john murtha.

What he’s doing here is trying to salvage his reputation with the military in North Carolina after he’s tried to satisfy the left.

Go to hell Walter B. Jones, and let john murtha hold the door for ya.