US Soldiers Sent Home for Beating Prisoners of War

[kskiska]

Three American soldiers have been discharged after being found guilty of viciously beating and harassing Iraqi prisoners of war, some of whom were already injured, a US military spokesman said last night.

Master Sergeant Lisa Girman, 35, was the most senior person in charge during the incident at Camp Bucca in southern Iraq. She knocked a prisoner to the ground and repeatedly kicked him in the groin, abdomen and head, encouraging subordinate soldiers to do the same.

Another of the three, Scott McKenzie, 38, dragged a prisoner by his arms across the ground and, holding his legs apart, encouraged soldiers to kick him in the groin, abdomen and head. McKenzie then threw the prisoner to the ground and stepped on his injured arm.

Timothy Canjar, 21, held a prisoner's legs apart while others kicked him in the groin, and violently twisted his already injured arm.

The three soldiers, all from Pennsylvania, have been sent back to America after months of investigations led to their administrative discharge by Brigadier-General Ennis Whitehead III, the acting commander of the 143rd Transportation Command. The investigation began after soldiers who witnessed the abuses reported them.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1116957,00.html

[sleipnir]

1. Sick things that war does to humans....sad day indeed....

I can't believe that any human would want to do the things these soliders have been convicted of. Sad that war will break these humans down into a horrible mangle of hatred and violence. I can only hope that others do not fall into their trap. I can't ever imagine intentionally hurting someone so severely, but then I've never been in a war. Damn you Bush, you are as guilty as they are.

[7th_Sephiroth]

12. they cut something out

when i first heard the story, one soldier KILLED another prisoner

[JNelson6563]

14. war isn't the only thing

There are actually people in American society who are just as demented, having never seen war. See: child abuse and/or neglect.

Ugly stuff.

Julie

[Betty]

2. Just a discharge

and forfeiting two months' pay?????????That's all they get????Unbelieveable.

[WillyT]

4. Yeah...'Beat An Iraqi And You Get A Ticket Home' Is A REAL Bad Policy...

to adopt. Don't let that one get around to the troops!

Cripes...

[burrowowl]

11. I was thinking the same thing

Maybe better than Klinger on MASH dressing up in girl's clothes.

[solinvictus]

3. Well....

I'm not over there, so I can't say for certain I would definitely not do the same thing after seing friends killed and wounded. No offense, but I know myself well enough not to take a moral posture here.

[Betty]

6. By that argument,

we shouldn't take a moral posture on the Iraqi insurgents who are killing our troops, as we don't know how we would react if there were a foreign army occupying our country.

[happyslug]

5. Article 15

Adopted with the Adoption of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UMCJ) in the 1950s (Prior to the 1950 the Navy had "Captain's Mast", but the Army had no equilvant procedure. The Difference existed from the revolution to the adoption of the UCMJ).

With the adoption of Article 15 the concept of the US Navy's Captain's Mast was extended to the US Army. Prior to the Adoption of the UCMJ, any judicial act regarding army personal had to be by Court Martial only. This was rule under the Articles of War which was replaced by the UCMJ in the 1950s (The US Article of War had been adopted from the British Articles of War of 1774, which was just a moderization of Cromwell's Articles of War of the 1640s. All Three set forth that no army personal could be punished except by Court Martial. The US Navy had its own rules derived form the Royal Navy which permitted punishment by orders of senior officers i.e "Captain's Mast".).

The problem with Article 15 is that the reformers of the code wanted to restrict How the US Navy did its "Captain's Mast" but also wanted US Army officers to be able to issue punishments for minor infractions of the law without having to have a full blown court martial. Thus Article 15s are complety appealable and can only be administrated with the co-operation of the Defendant (upon called up on an Article 15, all the defendant had to do was Salute and say "I want a Court Martial", and the Article 15 hearing would be dismissed).

On the other hand a Article 15 action is a final judical ruling on the matter. These people (if they do not appeal) can NEVER be tried for this crime again. Their have had their day in court (as did the prosecution) and their were punished for their crime. That is it, this is over with. The army does not have to deal with this AND ALL THREE ARE BACK HOME. Reduction in Rank? When I was in The Guard, I left my Pa Unit for A Texas unit for two years. I than went back to my PA unit and wento law school. When I returned I thought at least three NCOs had had higher rank before I left than when I returned. I found out later the year before I returned, they had been caught drinking beer in the field on their last day of camp (and by the General of the Division no less). The manevers had been over, ammunition had been returned, but they shoudl not have been drinking. Each lost a strip, just like these guys. just think of it, drinking beer while on duty (but not being drunk) is to be punished the same as the above.

Justice, is sometime hard to take, but all we can do to strive for perfect justice. Maybe the best solution with these three MPs is what happened. Other factors were involved (including a personal dislike between the Senior NCO and one of the Persons who made the accusation). Given all of those factors (including having to find officers who are willing to listen to this case while their is a shortage or personal) maybe this is the best solution. Get them out of the Service and let everybody get on with their lives.



did not want them to

[MrPrax]

9. 'perfect justice'?

Maybe the best 'solution' with these three MPs?

All this gobble-de-gook betrays the fact you missed the victims in all this squalour...'soap opera' tales of the 'hurt feelings' among the enlisted and unenlisted aside, we should worry more about real 'law' as ascended by the US authority is being upheld and not whether there is lack of 'esprit de cort' which is part of what you are citing.

[mike_c]

7. I wonder how many such "incidents" were unreported....

Sounds like these three simply had the misfortune of getting caught.

[scarface2004]

8. remember rodney king....

anybody have a video camera handy...would make a beauty!

[shawn703]

10. I suppose this is part of the "Winning of Hearts and Minds" strategy? n/t

[Aidoneus]

13. this is so shocking

...these 'great heroes'--"liberators" and "saviors"--are actually being reprimanded for it (glorified "slap on the wrist" as it may be).

[Voltaire99]

15. Bet they get a hero's welcome. (n/t)