Over 50 LA Soldiers Prosecuted in Iraq (Mostly Drug Charges)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3684959&nav=0aWUcydW

At least 55 soldiers serving in Iraq with the Louisiana National Guard's 256th Brigade have been tried and convicted of criminal charges, many of them drug-related.

The brigade's commanding officer, John Basilica, delivered the news to reporters via teleconference from Baghdad Thursday at the brigade's Lafayette headquarters. Basilica says he doesn't consider the number especially high, because it's a small percentage of the 4,000 soldiers with the brigade.

He says the convictions came in a period beginning in May 2004, when the brigade was called up and sent to Fort Hood, Texas, for training. He says the criminal behavior has had no effect on readiness, but added that drug and alcohol use was especially disturbing because it could impair a soldier's behavior and endanger others.

An Army spokesman in Iraq didn't immediately have figures available from other National Guard brigades, making it unclear how the 256th's convictions compare to other brigades.

[Name removed]

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[Coastie for Truth]

10. The begining of the collapse of our Army in Viet Nam

was marked (conincident with, I am not "attributing a cause and effect") by a very sudden and massive increase in drug use.

[noamnety]

2. blamed on lack of oversight of civilian contractors

"Basilica says some soldiers probably buy the contraband from civilian contractors, who aren't subject to the same oversight as soldiers."

[CottonBear]

4. The special ops guys (wearing civilian clothes) drink freely on base

acccording to a first-hand report from Iraq. They come to ammo supply depots to pick up ammo and other supplies including beer and liquor. It just ain't fair. No beer for the regular soldiers.

[CottonBear]

3. Can't have alcohol or porn. Can have cigs & violent video games

& Rush on Armed Forces Radio each and every day. :( No wonder they need to drink and toke. Damn. This is bad.

I wanted to send some adult magazines to a friend in Tikrit (as per his request) but was told by former Marine (drill sargeant) friend not to because the soldier could be prosecuted for receiving the pornographic material in the mail.
:(

[meganmonkey]

5. Anyone know what the drug(s) of choice is...

over there?

[benddem]

6. wonder how they get the stuff

and what are they using?

[KurtNYC]

8. If I read that right - they were doing drugs on or near Fort Hood

not in Iraq.

[High Plains]

7. Hash, opium, heroin, pills, pills, pills

Lots of hash in the area.

And there are literally tons of opium and heroin moving through the Middle East from our other little colonial adventure, Afghanistan. The Iranians are making huge busts on the Afghan border every day, but much more it is undoubtedly getting through.

There have been occasional reports about the emergence of drug-selling in Baghdad since the war began, most of them referencing diverted prescription drugs.

And the US military has occasionally accused the insurgents of being hopped-up on amphetamines. I guess that's different from when US military uses them, as was the case of the pilots who mistakenly bombed the Canadians in Afghanistan.

[GreenArrow]

9. "Stay on for another tour, boys...

and we can make these charges go away."

[Imagevision]

11. I suppoert these guys and gals doing whatever to come out alive!!

sleep must be a bitch!

[funkybutt]

12. Strange that this story isn't being covered by Louisiana media outlets

I watch and view tons of different news sources here and this is the first I've heard of this. Maybe they're just slow.