Failure of Command [troops re. LTC West, "Why are they prosecuting this man?"]

National Review ^ | Dec. 4, 2003 | Jed Babbin

[Hondo1952]

I've heard the same things about Stramara that I heard about Wesley Clark. Politician first and second. Cover my ass third and fourth. Mission fifth. Men sixth. Neither ever heard the only two words a leader needs to know. Follow me. Or the basic tenent of combat. MIssion Men Me. LTC West is a warrior and a great leader. Wonder where the PC Police are. Where's Jesse, oops, no money to make from this is there Jess. Where's AL, oops, no money to be made from this. You two frauds should be watching West to learn what it means to be a man.

[Kevin Curry]

Considering that US law doesn't allow for any such thing, OK, I'll correct you.

Sorry, smughead, you're only half right. The laws of war, both customary and those conventions and protocols to which the US is a signatory, are considered "US law." Spies have no protection under the laws of war.

Other orders and regulations may be, and typically are, in effect in time of conflict, which bind soldiers in the performance of their duties. In any event it is not clear this Iraqi scum was a spy.

Let's see: the US Army assigned two women to fecklessly interrogate the guy, and some female Army staff judge advocate got her panties in a twist because West saved some US lives by being mean to the poor Iraqi.

Get women out of this conflict NOW. I never thought I would say that, but enough's enough.

I would welcome Lt Col West into the Republican Party and would gladly support him in any congressional race for which he may qualify. My fondest dream is that George W. Bush would name West Secretary of the Army right after Bush is reelected.

[Poohbah]

Sorry, smughead, you're only half right. The laws of war, both customary and those conventions and protocols to which the US is a signatory, are considered "US law." Spies have no protection under the laws of war.

Well, if you're going to play "international conventions trump US statutory law," then might I suggest that you look up the International Convention on Torture?

[Ispy4u]

I just found this article.

LTC West's commander Stratmara, must be an O-6, is some kind of character.

Although in my experience a guy like Stratmara will cover for people like West, in this case not report the incident, because they are actually birds of a feather. If they weren't a guy like Stratmara would have run West's bloomers up the flagpole while he was stil in them.

[Ispy4u]

I have to agree with your assessment of Stratmara, but explain to me why if it is true did Statmara not pound LTC West immediately?

Could it be they are more alike than you've been told?

[Ispy4u]

Why didn't Stramara stand West on the carpet? Are they more alike than we've been told?

[Poohbah]

Seems there's more to this case than I thought--but none of it is good. Looks like Stratmara's entire command has major discipline problems.

[Ispy4u]

Here's another LTC West Article.

After you read it see if you can see what I see.

Stramara and West may very well be alot alike.

[cookcounty]

How can this NRO guy make the comparison between the private and the colonel.?

The private was also threatened with court martial, that's why he struck a deal with JAG.

The Lt. Col was definitely in violation of both Geneva and US regs on handling of prisoners, As an officer, it's his job to model the correct handling of this situation. If he doesn't follow the regs, then how does one prosecute any of the soldiers in his command for ignoring the regs?

Colonel West asserts that lives depended on this. That doesn't make it so.

The private had a legal right under Geneva and Army regs to use deadly force to prevent an escape. The Colonel did not have any right to threaten a prisoner by this kind of action ---and he knew it perfectly well.

The Army, offered him a discharge, as they did the private. The Colonel opted for the higher-stakes court martial.

I'm sure the Colonel is a nice guy and all, but the US Army is not the Wehrmacht or the NVA or the French Army. Our standards are, and will remain, the highest.

[Ispy4u]

The reporting on the incident of LTC West's actions have been extremely one sided in all the articles I've read. But it seems to me in this one that the author may have slipped in a hint as to LTC West's actual command relationship with his men and his commanders.

In my experience it is often the case that a commander such as COL Stramara tends to select officers for his subordinate commands that are similar to him. Wesley Clark was famous for buffering himself with as many politicos as he could get his hands on.

If the report is accurate and LTC West did immediately report his actions to COL Stramara ,who took no action whatsoever, then why is not COL Stramara standing on the carpet too? Why didn't COL Stramara take any action? Did Stramara select West for command because they are really very much alike.

As I stated my experience has shown me this can happen, but it is not by any means universal. But DIVARTY Commanders have a lot of pull and when assertive usually get what they want.