U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen West is being charged with assault for the methods he used to interrogate an Iraqi policeman. An Iraqi informant told him that the policeman was involved in deadly ambushes of American soldiers. Other Army officers interrogated the policeman but didn't get any information. Lt. Col. West stepped in and used his 9mm pistol to threaten the guy. He first fired it into a weapons-clearing barrel. Next he put the pistol close to the guy's head and fired it. The policeman revealed critical information regarding pending attacks. He immediately reported the interrogation and the methods he used to his superiors. "I admit that what I did was not right, but it was done with the concern of the safety of my soldiers and myself."

Lt. Col. West is a 19 year veteran and is able to retire Saturday with his retirement benefits.

He is being charged with one count of aggravated assault, which carries a maximum punishment of 8 years imprisonment. The Army Judge Advocate is offering to drop the charges in exchange for Lt. Col. West resigning from the Army and forfeiting his retirement benefits. Otherwise, he will be court martialed and could be sentenced to 8 years in prison.

My thoughts: war is ugly.

Article: http://washtimes.com/national/20031028-113335-6042r.htm

(I edited the title to remove the word "Charged", but the title in the forum didn't change. Can the mods fix this please? Thanks.)

One instance where the system is bass ackwards. Enron execs get a slap on the wrist for defrauding the government and robbing thousands of investors and employees, meanwhile a colonel is given no slack for trying to protect the lives of servicemen and making one lapse in judgment in doing so.

Originally posted by lex400sc
One instance where the system is bass ackwards. Enron execs get a slap on the wrist for defrauding the government and robbing thousands of investors and employees, meanwhile a colonel is given no slack for trying to protect the lives of servicemen and making one lapse in judgment in doing so.

You are 100% correct. This is the most outrageous decision judge has ever imposed. I guess he should have just let more soldiers die..... That is crap

You got that right. Going with the previously cited examples, its seems that if you do your duty, you get screwed. But go ahead, defraud the governement and your employees, and hey, no problem. That is BS. While the crooks get protection, who is protecting those who do their duty? Seems like they just want to screw this man out of his well deserved retirement.

they might as well have given the interrogater a wiffle bat to threaten the guy with.

Good god we can agree on something

Nineteen years of service in uniform, a tour of duty in a combat zone (definitely not his first), a career of being underpaid in an organization carrying out orders from people who have no concept of what military combat is like (senators and congressmen - professionals at schmoozing and political manuevering, with some rare exceptions) and they are going to LET HIM RETIRE! Well, how generous of them. Hell, people, he earned every penny of that pension and so much more. In that 19 years he has given up his best years healthwise, missed countless months of seeing his wife and kids, and endured some awful living conditions on most of the world's continents. On November 11th, please visit a veteran's cemetery, go by a veteran's home, or visit a friend or relative that is a veteran and thank him or her for their sacrifice. A word of thanks from you may be the only thing they ever get for laying their life on the line for this country.

climbs off soapbox.

I think they should give the guy a medal! :thumbup: