He should be lucky he wasn’t charged with murder as that is what he apparently did. This has been tossed around in the news and here on Freerepublic for quite a while. As a veteran myself I take offense to what he did and his obstruction. He should be booted with dishonorable discharge as this reflects so incredibly poor on our other soldiers and on the US.
Why is that?
There’s no evidence he did anything, as I read it; no proof the “bomb maker” even existed.
That's easy for you to say. Being in a combat zone causes people to do things that might seem strange or inexplicable to the rest of us. I am willing to give this soldier the benefit of doubt. And the pansy-ass Army brass should give him his medal back. What a bunch of wussies.
I'm a combat vet too from another war a long time ago; camaraderie and support for your fellow American should apply until the facts are known.
If anything, the guy saved lives.
I’m sorry I cannot agree with anything you said. I understand the need to maintain discipline. But there is right and wrong and most of our civilian and military leadership is now wrong.
So regardless of the ‘rules’, I am still obligated to do right. Even if every human on the planet stands against me I am still obligated to do right.
“He should be lucky he wasn’t charged with murder as that is what he apparently did. … I take offense to what he did and his obstruction. … this reflects so incredibly poor on our other soldiers”
The sum of discussion on this topic amounts to so much opinionated back-forth. Though your conclusion (booted/DD) is on the extreme side of such opinions, I find your rationale to be the more the well reasoned.
In regard to personal conduct & behavior, I recall a former commandant of The Basic School stating in an interview that an officer must always maintain themselves in such a manner that NO ONE WOULD EVER MAKE AN UNFOUNDED ACCUSATION AGAINST THEIR CHARACTER. Not because of truthfulness of the accusation but simply because it would lack weight to be considered and reflect more on the character of the accuser.
Instinctively rejecting the concept, “can’t prevent malicious accusations”, it took a great deal of personal reflection to accept that concept of “straight & narrow” conduct, not that I have measured up to such expectation.
Minimally, it appears that with “obstruction” Major Golsteyn did not properly maintain himself.