Pray tell why.
You are in combat...
Stop right there.
LTC West was not in combat, nor was anyone in his command. The only bullets flying were from his sidearm.
lets take lunch break and get the Military Intelligence (oxymoron) types to do the Geneva Convention approved questioning, it doesn't matter if they get ambushed on their way over....
Which did not actually happen; the MI folks arrived before LTC West could act on the information he had gained.
wake up, Jarhead, smell the coffee! What the hell did they teach you in the Corps?
To obey the laws of the United States and the orders of those appointed over me.
What the hell did the teach you?
"The ends always justify the means?"
"F*** the laws of the land, out here I am God, and I can do as I will?"
Jack, me lad, doing the right thing demands doing the hard thing.
I would have a great deal more respect for West if he simply demanded his court-martial and accepted what came next, without throwing a public tantrum.
So far I would charge you with cowardess in the face of the enemy!
Cowardice involves fleeing from battle; I would have done no such thing. Indeed, I would welcome battle. I would merely seek to fight it on my terms.
And that means the SJA would recommend a no-bill to the Division Commander, and I would be returned to my unit, whereas you would be relieved of duty at best--they generally don't let people who file false charges against their commanders stay in the unit. Something about "bad blood" possibly provoking the commander to issue you a suicidal order--and then shooting you for disobedience two milliseconds later.
Firing squad for you, boy.
No charges, no firing squad.
You have none of the answers to the leadership test and you wouldn't make a pimple on West's butt.
I am growing less and less impressed with you, Jack.
"Standards for thee, but not for me" is not leadership.
Gutless is what you are, so did they drum you out, or what?
Nope. The truly gutless decision is to do the "easy thing" and then demand that you not suffer the consequences.
Do it the hard way if the consequences of the easy way are too unpleasant for your taste, or do it the easy way and don't whine about what comes next.