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AF top JAG: 'Rule of law' critical for success in Iraq
Air Force Link ^ | Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder

Posted on 11/14/2007 1:51:41 PM PST by SandRat

11/14/2007 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- A fair justice system, which holds people accountable for their actions, is vital in stopping the violence in Iraq, said the Air Force's top judge advocate general recently during a tour of Southwest Asia.

Maj. Gen. Jack L. Rives visited the men and women of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing during a tour here and also visited Airmen at Camp Bucca, Iraq. A part of his mission was to ensure the members of the JAG corps have the right programs in place to properly categorize the detainees, and to help assure fair processes are in place for those who deserve prosecution.

It's also important to establish rehabilitation programs for detainees who will be released, to improve their chances of being constructive members of society, he said.

"We don't just assume that people are guilty because of when or where they were apprehended or even because of the information have believe we have against them," said General Rives. "We provide the detainees due process so those who can be returned to society can understand that the legal system treated them fairly. Hopefully we can have good relations with them and their friends, families and followers. It's important to show that the rule of law is the way ahead."

At Camp Bucca there are 31 JAGs and 21 paralegals working detainee operations. All are on 179- or 365-day deployments. This significant investment of resources shows the emphasis the Air Force puts on doing things correctly.

"For us, having the right processes in place at Camp Bucca is very important," the general said. "We are doing things the right way and the men and women implementing the programs are doing so very effectively."

A big part of what the JAGs are doing is sorting through who needs to be detained and who doesn't.

"Iraq has many dangerous people who need to be detained and appropriately punished, often for a very long time. They have other people who have done something wrong for which they deserve detention and punishment, but more emphasis for these people should be placed on rehabilitation," the general said. "For example, there are many education and training programs in place that allow these detainees to avoid being influenced by the worst of the other detainees. We must properly sort through the detainee population and deal with each individual in the right manner. That's the process currently on-going at Camp Bucca."

While assisting with such detainee operations is new to the Air Force, the general said Airmen are making great strides with these issues.

"I'm proud of the members of the JAG corps who are helping assure we do things the right way, from the beginning," he said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: frwn; iraq; jag; law; success

1 posted on 11/14/2007 1:51:44 PM PST by SandRat
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2 posted on 11/14/2007 1:52:13 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

Shades of Catch 22 and Lt. Schieskopf.

We now have the war being run by lawyers.

We need to put these future ambulance chasers in the back seat on a night fighter mission or escorting a convoy and let them throw law books at Al Qaeda.


3 posted on 11/14/2007 1:56:04 PM PST by oldbill
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To: SandRat

So now the US Air Force are Jailers?


4 posted on 11/14/2007 1:56:45 PM PST by rocksblues (Just enforce the law!)
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To: SandRat

Are these the guys responsible for persecuting our marines for doing their jobs?


5 posted on 11/14/2007 2:09:37 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero

No idea if it’s AF JAG, most likely Navy JAG.


6 posted on 11/14/2007 2:11:34 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

The correct way to sort POW’s. Who needs to be shot now, and who needs to be shot later. PERIOD!


7 posted on 11/14/2007 3:08:20 PM PST by gaemes
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To: SandRat

WHY ISN’T IT CRITICAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE United STATES?


8 posted on 11/14/2007 3:28:47 PM PST by radar101 (Duncan Hunter-The only possibility)
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To: SandRat
"Even though I'm an actress, and portrayed
a character from a different branch of service, I still feel
that my picture would add value to any JAG-related thread."

9 posted on 11/14/2007 3:43:25 PM PST by Hoplite
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To: SandRat
Per the Iraqi constitution, nothing may contradict Sharia Law. So what are we doing over there? Past time to put a bounty on lawyers.
10 posted on 11/14/2007 3:54:44 PM PST by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: SandRat

Yes, of course.


11 posted on 11/14/2007 5:39:24 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: SandRat

Good for those JAG lawyers! They have a tough job, and I respect them for what they are trying to do.

The “rule of law” -— this is a very important foundation for any civilized country.


12 posted on 11/14/2007 6:20:32 PM PST by Molly K.
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To: Cicero
Are these the guys responsible for persecuting our marines for doing their jobs?

It seems they are actually prosecuting, or at least processing the bad guy this time.

13 posted on 11/14/2007 6:45:04 PM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: SandRat
No idea if it’s AF JAG, most likely Navy JAG.

It's a joint command over their. Navy JAGs seem to be concentrating on prosecuting Marines. At least the AF JAGs are going after the bad guys, or some of them at least.

14 posted on 11/14/2007 6:47:15 PM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: SandRat
A fair justice system, which holds people accountable for their actions, is vital in stopping the violence in Iraq, said the Air Force's top judge advocate general recently during a tour of Southwest Asia.

Hold people accountable? That's pretty funny, coming from the Air Force's top lawyer. They sure seem reluctant to hold their own accountable.

15 posted on 11/14/2007 6:49:19 PM PST by JCEccles
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