Given that you're "retired military" and my *very* ordinary Army "career" lasted 6 years you've got me trumped.And...I never had *any* contact with the UCMJ either as a duty assignment,as a juror,or as the accused and if the same is true with you then we're both flying blind here,IMO.
But just think of the importance of this case.If the Colonel prevails in this case the shockwaves would very probably drive Hussein from office.It would create a Constitutional crisis the likes of which we havn't seen for many years..if ever.
There's no way that I'll ever believe that this case wasn't considered,in detail,at the very highest levels before charges were issued.I would expect nothing less from Hussein The Miraculous.
“But just think of the importance of this case.If the Colonel prevails in this case the shockwaves would very probably drive Hussein from office.It would create a Constitutional crisis the likes of which we havn’t seen for many years..if ever.”
Which is precisely why the defendant is toast, whatever merits his defense might have.
Lon Horiuchi is a free man.
Malik Zulu Shabass is a free man.
‘Scooter Libby’ is a convicted felon.
Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos are convicted felons.
Show trials are not just for soviets. Larkin will be convicted.
The charges were carefully drawn up to put Lakin in the least defensible position. I’ve only been on one court martial board, and it was just for sentencing of a low level enlisted caught using cocaine & stealing from his squadron mates (FWIW, we all considered the stealing more offensive than the drug use...19 and stupid isn’t as bad as 19 and stealing from your friends). But I think the sentencing of Lakin will be light. He isn’t your common deserter or protester.
For those that are cynical, the harsher the sentence, the worse Obama looks...but I think the sentencing phase will be like the one I did - we just wanted to get it right, and I think that will happen again. I think his arguments about WHY he missed will be discussed during the sentencing phase and the Board will end his career and not much else.
That prediction isn’t worth the price of a cup of coffee, but the large majority of officers I met would try very hard to do the right thing if they ended up on a board like this. And improper command influence would be far more dangerous to the higher ups than just letting things fall as they might.