Posted on 04/03/2008 4:11:54 PM PDT by bigheadfred
I recently received an email from Curtis Carnahan, the father of Sgt. Evan Vela, who, having served his country in Iraq is currently, and wrongly, serving a ten year sentence in prison. Mr. Carnahan asked me to look into his son's case because of the distinct parallels between his son's wartime dilemma in Iraq and that of the SEAL team in Afghanistan that was immortalized by former SEAL Marcus Luttrell in the best-selling book Lone Survivor.
As Mr. Carnahan noted, I've written about the Luttrell case before in an attempt to call attention to the inverted morality of our Military's rules of engagement that forced these SEALS into a situation in which it was against US law to save their own lives when their mission secrecy was compromised by their discovery, deep in Taliban territory, by two Afghan shepherds. Having decided to let the two Afghans go rather than kill them to save themselves and their mission--in part out of fear of prosecution back home!--three out of the four SEALS were themselves killed (with Luttrell being the "lone survivor") in a ferocious battle, and 16 other US special forces were shot down and killed during a failed rescue attempt. Nineteen brave Americans dead to uphold the blessed ROE.
Sgt. Vela, part of a small sniper team ordered for days into the "Triangle of Death" south of Baghad, faced a similar situation when his team was discovered in their "hide" by an Iraqi man and his teenaged son. With Sunni insurgents nearby, and the man refusing to be quiet and still, Sgt. Vela was ordered to kill the man. He did so. The sniper team lived through the mission. Sgt. Vela was later charged and convicted of murder. In essence, what our country is saying is that it would have been a far, far better thing if Sgt. Vela and his team had been killed by Iraqi insurgents--in wartime with hostile forces all around them--rather than kill the one Iraqi man whose noise and lack of cooperation was a sure-thing to bring hostile fire on our men.
Please read this fine account of the story by Marcia Drezon-Tepler in the New York Daily News.
There is loads more here, including a link to information about helping in a drive for clemency for Sgt. Vela.
Wretchingly sickening.
We're not going to have any army at all next time around, folks, if this is the way we treat the men who actually want to defend this country.
I totally agree with everything you just said! May they all rot in he!!.
How about we teach them a little history? Show them that even in a cave in Oregon $H!+ HAPPENS. Maybe something about the Constitution? Teach them to fight for it like its the last sheet of TP in a camp struck down by dysentery. Teach them a little spelling. Justice is not spelled justus. I happen to be in favor of stem cell research. Injecting ONE live brain cell in those deadhead buffoons would help enormongantically.
Enormongantically - is that a word? - I like it!
LOL, and okay to everything you said. Then what?
Repeat showings of The Wizard of Oz, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street on ALL TV stations HERE, while at the same time commencing and maintaining saturation bombing over there.
Show those Muslins that when we say Serge we are going to Bombadine their Poly Esters Twill they are begging for the Velvet wings of the Zephyr to sweep them away. Duck Haji!!
What’s the Worsted that could happen. People Ticked off? Be mad at the Tarlatan’s running the show?
Can you Cotton to this? Or do I need to Alpaca my Ardass else where?
Can’t say for sure, but this article may explain the reason Evan was offered up as a sacrificial goat. His “victim” was Jenabi.
Very interesting, bhfred. You could be right, but I sure hope there was no deal to gain favor with this tribe.
I guess you noticed the date on the article. A month after Evan was charged. We were too new to this game to know much about it. Things have changed.
I’m here cicero
This is in today’s papers. Our Congresspeople step up.
“LAWMAKERS SEEK CLEMENCY FOR SOLDIER”
http://www.2news.tv/news/17308064.html
The following are quotes from the local paper, but I can’t link it. The Post Register.
Congressman Mike Simpson says Vela is “playing the role of scapegoat in a series of tragedies in a time of war”
And Senator Mike Crapo said “The safety and success of our men and women in uniform would be seriously jeopardized if every service member was subjected to the same scrutiny for their actions during combat as in Sgt. Vela’s case.”
Great news, bighead! I put a link up on Defend Our Troops as well.
VERY GOOD!!!!!!! Congratulations!!
Good news that they’re stepping up, BHF, I hope they are successful!
Did some more digging, found the letters:
208-334-1953
Crapo and Simpson Ask for
Clemency for Vela
Washington, D.C. - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Idaho 2nd District Representative Mike Simpson are asking U.S. military authorities to grant clemency to Sergeant Evan Vela, who was court martialed and convicted of murder without premeditation by a military court in February 2008. In separate letters to Major General Rick Lynch, Crapo and Simpson outlined their concerns with the conviction and the precedent it set regarding soldiers following military orders.
In his letter, dated March 7, 2008, Crapo wrote: “Soldiers are trained to follow orders issued to facilitate order and safety on the battlefield. When orders issued in high stress situations, such as Sgt. Vela found himself, contravene order, safety and perhaps the Rules of Engagement, more than one individual must be held accountable for the outcome, and the responsibility for errors in judgment must be shared by all involved. The outcome of this case could create an environment where under fire or in a threatening situation [a soldier] could hesitate to defend themselves or their comrades from a perceived threat. In my view, the final judgment in Sgt. Vela’s case calls into question the standard evaluation of basic rules of engagement, creating uncertain and dangerous operational environments for commanders and soldiers involved in day-to-day combat missions.”
In Simpson’s letter of April 3, 2008, he wrote: “In addition to conflicting accounts of the rules of engagement, I also have strong concerns over reports of Sgt. Vela’s physical and mental conditions at the time of the incident,” said Simpson. “There are a number of mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances in this case that make a compelling argument for clemency.”
Copies of both letters accompany this news release and are also available on the Congressmen’s respective websites.
Vela, who is originally from St. Anthony, Idaho, was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was convicted of killing an unarmed Iraqi civilian and planting evidence on the body. Throughout the investigation and trial, Vela has maintained, and his superior officers have confirmed, that Vela and fellow soldiers were following orders during the incident, which occurred in May 2007 near Iskandariyah, Iraq, which is about 30 miles south of Baghdad.
Copies of the letters follow:
April 3, 2008
Major General Rick Lynch, USA
Commanding General
Multi-National Division – Center
3rd Infantry Division
Dear General Lynch:
I write this letter as an appeal for clemency for Sergeant Evan Vela, a constituent from the state of Idaho assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
I have been in contact with members of Sergeant Vela’s family and members of his community throughout this court battle. Like them, I am concerned with the circumstances surrounding this case. According to my constituents, Sgt. Vela followed an order from his superior on the reasonable premise that his unit’s position would be compromised. Among the co-accused, Sgt. Vela has received the harshest punishment. I am concerned that he is playing the role of scapegoat in a series of tragedies in a time of war. In addition to conflicting accounts of the rules of engagement, I also have strong concerns over reports of Sgt. Vela’s physical and mental conditions at the time of the incident. There are a number of mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances in this case that make a compelling argument for clemency, and in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, I urge you to consider those factors and circumstances in your post-trial review.
I sincerely appreciate your attention and consideration of this request for clemency for Sgt. Evan Vela of St. Anthony, Idaho.
Sincerely,
Mike Simpson
United States Representative
March 7, 2008
Major General Rick Lynch, USA
Commanding General
Multi-National Division – Center
3rd Infantry Division
Dear General Lynch:
I am writing to appeal for clemency for Sergeant Evan Vela, a constituent from the state of Idaho assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
As I understand the facts of the case, Sgt. Vela followed an order from his superior on the reasonable premise that his unit’s position would be compromised. Yet, he received the harshest punishment among the co-accused. In addition to conflicting accounts of the rules of engagement, I have strong concerns over reports of Sgt. Vela’s physical and mental conditions at the time of the incident. There are a number of mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances in this case that make a compelling argument for clemency, and that I urge you to reconsider in your post-trial review.
As you well know, the unique nature of the current conflict in Iraq has introduced new challenges for the United States government and military. Too often and to the detriment of our troops, the same political considerations of nation-building weighed by elected officials and commanders on the ground are also shouldered by military men and women carrying out day-to-day security and stabilization missions in combat zones. The safety and success of our men and women in uniform would be seriously jeopardized if every service member was subjected to the same scrutiny for their actions during combat as in Sgt. Vela’s case.
While citizens of Iraq and Iraqi leaders may have strong interest in the outcome of this case, I urge you to consider the compelling message sent to fellow soldiers on the ground as they continue in their mission. Most of us cannot imagine the stress that those in uniform undergo when they have to make a split-second decision whether to fire or be fired upon, to kill or be killed. This War, especially one characterized by dangerously close combat scenarios, insurgent warfare, and constant uncertainty and confusion about friend or foe, does not provide the luxury of clear circumstances or marked enemies that better afford more identifiably right or wrong decisions to exercise deadly force.
Furthermore, soldiers are trained to follow orders issued to facilitate order and safety on the battlefield. When orders issued in high stress situations, such as Sgt. Vela found himself, contravene order, safety and perhaps the Rules of Engagement, more than one individual must be held accountable for the outcome, and the responsibility for errors in judgment must be shared by all involved. The outcome of this case could create an environment where under fire or in a threatening situation could hesitate to defend themselves or their comrades from a perceived threat. In my view, the final judgment in Sgt. Vela’s case calls into question the standard evaluation of basic rules of engagement, creating uncertain and dangerous operational environments for commanders and soldiers involved in day-to-day combat missions.
Just as you and Sgt. Vela wear the same uniform, Sgt. Vela and I share a state and community identity. I trust you will give this decision all the fairness and consideration that Sgt. Vela, as a member of the United States military, deserves and has earned with his service. While Evan Vela may never again wear the uniform of a soldier in the U.S. Army, I urge you to consider granting Sgt. Vela the ability to continue service to his country. The discipline and dedication which served him in the Army will continue to serve him in future years.
On behalf of Idaho and the United States, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and respect for your service to our country. I appreciate your attention and consideration of this request for clemency for Sgt. Vela.
Sincerely,
Mike Crapo
United States Senator
It’s about time!
Long overdue....
This is a link to the link where I found these letters. They are under the pictures of Evan, Crapo, and Simpson.
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8120952&nav=menu554_2_1
Thanks, I added that link as well.
And those orders were completely justified IMO. If I had managed to survive what Evan had gone through to get there(not a snowballs chance in heck), I would've been incredibly grateful that he managed to silence a guy that would have brought certain death on them.
The fact that he did manage to get a shot off in the state he was in should be considered fortuitous, commendable, and damn lucky that he didn't just pass out instead.
I'd like to know why no one's asking questions to whoever it was that sent them on a mission so ill planned that they ended up having to hydrate themselves with IVs just to stay alive.....and then pitch a bitch that they did survive.
small sniper team ordered for days into the “Triangle of Death” south of Baghad
This is a quote from the article I posted in #25:
“The Jenabi tribe, the problem they’re having is that the al-Qaeda is them,” Balcavage said.
The same Balcavage that gave the green light to Evan’s SSGT. to kill anyone they felt threatened by.
Saturation bombing.
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