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Tension forms when Soldiers take down posters of Al-Sadr
When the US talks about "freedom" one really has to wonder what they mean. Closing a newspaper for inciting violence is bad enough, but going into businesses and homes and destroying anything thats anti-coalition seems about as despotic as one can get. Soldiers will beat up Iraqis and confiscate and destroy pictures of Saddam or Sadr. One wonders if US soliders would do they same if they found a picture of Kerry or other leaders the mostly Republican Coalition Provisional Authority dislikes.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, April 21, 2004) – Engineers from Fort Hood avert a possible riot after taking down posters of anti-coalition cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
While on patrol in the Washash district of Baghdad, 1st Lt. Brian Schonfeld, a platoon leader with 1st Platoon, Company C, 91st Engineer Battalion, and his troopers found something a little surprising: posters and photographs promoting al-Sadr.
Schonfeld found these posters in apartments and some shop windows. He said he hadn’t noticed anything to suggest al-Sadr’s influence in the neighborhood prior to this patrol.
After the initial dismounted patrol discovered the propaganda, Schonfeld received orders to re-enter Washash and remove the posters. These posters are considered illegal because of al-Sadr’s extremist anti-coalition stance.
The first few posters were confiscated with great ease. On public display, they did not appear to belong to any one in particular and no resistance was given.
However, a few yards down the crowded market road, Schonfeld and his platoon came upon a shop selling framed prints. The lieutenant tried to explain to the owner of the shop that anti-coalition propaganda is illegal, and that the prints could not be displayed.
The man refused to remove them.
“We explained the best we could without an interpreter,” said Cpl. Mark Steir, a team leader in 1st Platoon. “They started to get angry once they realized why we were taking them down. The further along we got, the community became more upset.”
To make the situation more tension-filled, the loudspeakers of a local mosque addressed the neighborhood, drawing ecstatic shouts from the growing crowd of onlookers.
“There was a lot more finger-jabbing going on than usual,” said Schonfeld. “A couple [people] even tried to grab our hands away from taking the pictures down.”
After several minutes of negotiation, Schonfeld was able to persuade the owner of the shop to remove the pictures, thanks to the help of a few English-speaking locals.
Moving along, 1st Platoon removed one more poster before a sizeable crowd formed and started throwing rocks.
“We’ve got a riot down here, sir,” one Soldier yelled to Schonfeld, who promptly moved his platoon from the area to avoid an escalation of force.
The discovery of anti-coalition propaganda is a negative development for coalition efforts in this neighborhood. The coalition has several such as a playing field, a refuse disposal plan, and a communal textile shop in the works, hoping to make Washash a better place to live.
“It was a significant event for us because there is not a very heavy presence of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr in Washash. The people that we know in Washash have been supporters of [Grand Ayatollah al-Husseini al-Sistani],” said Capt. Ronald Hayward, commander of Company C, who gave the order to remove the posters.
“I think it was important [to remove the posters] because al-Sadr currently stands for all things that are anti-coalition,” he said. “It’s important to show [the people of Washash] that we can deal with the propaganda in a non-threatening way, rather than coming in hard and forcefully.”
(Editor’s note: Spc. Jan Critchfield is a staff writer for the 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5869
While on patrol in the Washash district of Baghdad, 1st Lt. Brian Schonfeld, a platoon leader with 1st Platoon, Company C, 91st Engineer Battalion, and his troopers found something a little surprising: posters and photographs promoting al-Sadr.
Schonfeld found these posters in apartments and some shop windows. He said he hadn’t noticed anything to suggest al-Sadr’s influence in the neighborhood prior to this patrol.
After the initial dismounted patrol discovered the propaganda, Schonfeld received orders to re-enter Washash and remove the posters. These posters are considered illegal because of al-Sadr’s extremist anti-coalition stance.
The first few posters were confiscated with great ease. On public display, they did not appear to belong to any one in particular and no resistance was given.
However, a few yards down the crowded market road, Schonfeld and his platoon came upon a shop selling framed prints. The lieutenant tried to explain to the owner of the shop that anti-coalition propaganda is illegal, and that the prints could not be displayed.
The man refused to remove them.
“We explained the best we could without an interpreter,” said Cpl. Mark Steir, a team leader in 1st Platoon. “They started to get angry once they realized why we were taking them down. The further along we got, the community became more upset.”
To make the situation more tension-filled, the loudspeakers of a local mosque addressed the neighborhood, drawing ecstatic shouts from the growing crowd of onlookers.
“There was a lot more finger-jabbing going on than usual,” said Schonfeld. “A couple [people] even tried to grab our hands away from taking the pictures down.”
After several minutes of negotiation, Schonfeld was able to persuade the owner of the shop to remove the pictures, thanks to the help of a few English-speaking locals.
Moving along, 1st Platoon removed one more poster before a sizeable crowd formed and started throwing rocks.
“We’ve got a riot down here, sir,” one Soldier yelled to Schonfeld, who promptly moved his platoon from the area to avoid an escalation of force.
The discovery of anti-coalition propaganda is a negative development for coalition efforts in this neighborhood. The coalition has several such as a playing field, a refuse disposal plan, and a communal textile shop in the works, hoping to make Washash a better place to live.
“It was a significant event for us because there is not a very heavy presence of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr in Washash. The people that we know in Washash have been supporters of [Grand Ayatollah al-Husseini al-Sistani],” said Capt. Ronald Hayward, commander of Company C, who gave the order to remove the posters.
“I think it was important [to remove the posters] because al-Sadr currently stands for all things that are anti-coalition,” he said. “It’s important to show [the people of Washash] that we can deal with the propaganda in a non-threatening way, rather than coming in hard and forcefully.”
(Editor’s note: Spc. Jan Critchfield is a staff writer for the 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5869
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Hello everyone. I'd like to make a comment.
I have the benefit of being on the streets of Iraq every day. So I don't expect everyone to know as much as I do about the attitudes and character of the Iraqi people. But this is a war zone, and al-Sadr is inciting violence. He is an incendiary figure and is making it dangerous for not only the Colaition forces in Iraq but also the Iraqi people. He is trying to take advantage of young Iraqis' anger and come to power as the nation's next military dictator. He is not at all concerned for the welfare of the Iraqi people. I have spoken to men with families here in Baghdad. We have families reporting bomb-makers all the time. Why? Because these people realize that we are here to protect them from those that would do something like set up a bomb right down the street from an orphanage and kill four kids. But you are not here, you do not have the benefit of seeing both sides of what's going on here. The US side is not reported, because it is not what you people want to hear. You guys seem to be happy enough to focus on the negative things we're doing here, and not paying a damn bit of attention to the fact that we're over here trying to build this country from the ground up. That's no small task, and there are many pleased Iraqi people here that are working with us.
Just don't be delusional. Either read more than one article or buy a plane ticket and come and see for yourself. Otherwise, anything you say is so ignorant it's embarrassing.
Respectfully,
Specialist Jan Critchfield
I have the benefit of being on the streets of Iraq every day. So I don't expect everyone to know as much as I do about the attitudes and character of the Iraqi people. But this is a war zone, and al-Sadr is inciting violence. He is an incendiary figure and is making it dangerous for not only the Colaition forces in Iraq but also the Iraqi people. He is trying to take advantage of young Iraqis' anger and come to power as the nation's next military dictator. He is not at all concerned for the welfare of the Iraqi people. I have spoken to men with families here in Baghdad. We have families reporting bomb-makers all the time. Why? Because these people realize that we are here to protect them from those that would do something like set up a bomb right down the street from an orphanage and kill four kids. But you are not here, you do not have the benefit of seeing both sides of what's going on here. The US side is not reported, because it is not what you people want to hear. You guys seem to be happy enough to focus on the negative things we're doing here, and not paying a damn bit of attention to the fact that we're over here trying to build this country from the ground up. That's no small task, and there are many pleased Iraqi people here that are working with us.
Just don't be delusional. Either read more than one article or buy a plane ticket and come and see for yourself. Otherwise, anything you say is so ignorant it's embarrassing.
Respectfully,
Specialist Jan Critchfield
This is somebody else's country, which you invaded. The people shooting at you are patriots, defending their homeland from foreign invaders. If someone invaded America, you'd do exactly the same as they are doing.
This is an unjust war. You are being used by the politicians to make their friends rich. A politician is someone who is always willing to lay down your life for his country. They are trading your blood for more money. You don't have to take this kind of abuse.
Back in the day, soldiers rebelled against unjust war. Read about it here:
http://www.geocities.com/cordobakaf/gis.html
This is an unjust war. You are being used by the politicians to make their friends rich. A politician is someone who is always willing to lay down your life for his country. They are trading your blood for more money. You don't have to take this kind of abuse.
Back in the day, soldiers rebelled against unjust war. Read about it here:
http://www.geocities.com/cordobakaf/gis.html
Yeah, well I've heard all of that before as well.
And you know what? Wars have been waged for financial benefit since time began. Most famously, I'd say, WWII. Think about it. Depression... war... no more depression... Not that it's moral, but if you think it's a moral world, wake up. Dreamland, USA is real cushy, huh? Try living in a war zone.
And there really are so many other oppressive dictators that we could've gone after. The real question is: why Iraq? I'm sure everyone has their theories about that one, myself included. But instead of just being part of the peanut gallery back in the States, here I am doing what I love, telling all of you guys what's really going on over here. I hope you guys are all having a good time with you're lives, because I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
And you know what? Wars have been waged for financial benefit since time began. Most famously, I'd say, WWII. Think about it. Depression... war... no more depression... Not that it's moral, but if you think it's a moral world, wake up. Dreamland, USA is real cushy, huh? Try living in a war zone.
And there really are so many other oppressive dictators that we could've gone after. The real question is: why Iraq? I'm sure everyone has their theories about that one, myself included. But instead of just being part of the peanut gallery back in the States, here I am doing what I love, telling all of you guys what's really going on over here. I hope you guys are all having a good time with you're lives, because I know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Most soldiers feel that way at first. But any soldier, even a drill instructor, can change his mind.
See:
http://www.sfimc.net/news/2001/10/106592_comment.php#106603
(snip)
A Drill Instructor's version:
(snip)
One thing is, that the military will use these different things to get people to join, and even if they don't go along wholeheartedly with the military apparatus, they're at least good for a year. They've got you for at least a year. By the time a year is over, you're either so thoroughly disgusted . . . or . . . you're there forever. I was going to do 20 years when I went in. I had purposely designed myself to do 20 years in the United States Army. By the time my tour of duty was over in Vietnam, and the subsequent year as a Drill Sergeant, I was so disillusioned, upset, pissed off and downright bothered, that I couldn't wait to get out of the military as fast as I could. I left Fort Campbell Kentucky at 12:00 o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday; I did not stop until I got to St. Louis. I wanted to get as far away from that place as I possibly could.
Because the military is a lie. And that lie becomes prevalent as you realize what you're doing over and over and over again.
You've read about the Holocaust, and you've seen the movies, and all the other stuff in WWII. You've heard about the Panzer divisions and the SS going across the Ukraine and Poland and Czechoslovakia and France and all the other places that they ran around and stomped on people. Well folks, the First Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in l967 that went through Vietnam was NO DIFFERENT! ! ! We did NO DIFFERENT tactics; we burned everything in our wake and we killed it if it got in our way. Period.
That was a contradiction to what I was raised spiritually, morally, and politically, to conduct myself. And yet that is how the US Army operated in Vietnam.
(snip)
See:
http://www.sfimc.net/news/2001/10/106592_comment.php#106603
(snip)
A Drill Instructor's version:
(snip)
One thing is, that the military will use these different things to get people to join, and even if they don't go along wholeheartedly with the military apparatus, they're at least good for a year. They've got you for at least a year. By the time a year is over, you're either so thoroughly disgusted . . . or . . . you're there forever. I was going to do 20 years when I went in. I had purposely designed myself to do 20 years in the United States Army. By the time my tour of duty was over in Vietnam, and the subsequent year as a Drill Sergeant, I was so disillusioned, upset, pissed off and downright bothered, that I couldn't wait to get out of the military as fast as I could. I left Fort Campbell Kentucky at 12:00 o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday; I did not stop until I got to St. Louis. I wanted to get as far away from that place as I possibly could.
Because the military is a lie. And that lie becomes prevalent as you realize what you're doing over and over and over again.
You've read about the Holocaust, and you've seen the movies, and all the other stuff in WWII. You've heard about the Panzer divisions and the SS going across the Ukraine and Poland and Czechoslovakia and France and all the other places that they ran around and stomped on people. Well folks, the First Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in l967 that went through Vietnam was NO DIFFERENT! ! ! We did NO DIFFERENT tactics; we burned everything in our wake and we killed it if it got in our way. Period.
That was a contradiction to what I was raised spiritually, morally, and politically, to conduct myself. And yet that is how the US Army operated in Vietnam.
(snip)
The young American Marine is exultant. "It's a sniper's dream,' he tells a Los Angeles Times reporter on the outskirts of Fallujah. "You can go anywhere and there so many ways to fire at the enemy without him knowing where you are." "Sometimes a guy will go down, and I'll let him scream a bit to destroy the morale of his buddies. Then I'll use a second shot." "To take a bad guy out," he explains, "is an incomparable "adrenaline rush." He brags of having "24 confirmed kills" in the initial phase of the brutal U.S. onslaught against the rebel city of 300,000 people.
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18457
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18457
The Falluja delegation chief, Shaikh Muhammad Hamad al-Shihan, said he wanted the UN to know of the terrible hardship in Falluja since the occupation began.
"We are facing what can be called ... war crimes, and the situation can no longer bear the actions of the occupation forces who are behaving outside all international laws."
Al-Shihan also urged Annan to intervene quickly "personally to stop the bloodbath".
"The human rights violations that happened in Falluja are very serious and the massacres that happened there are unprecedented," he said.
http://www.matamat.com/fullstory.php?gd=65&cd=2004-04-27
"We are facing what can be called ... war crimes, and the situation can no longer bear the actions of the occupation forces who are behaving outside all international laws."
Al-Shihan also urged Annan to intervene quickly "personally to stop the bloodbath".
"The human rights violations that happened in Falluja are very serious and the massacres that happened there are unprecedented," he said.
http://www.matamat.com/fullstory.php?gd=65&cd=2004-04-27
"by Specialist Critchfield Monday, Apr. 26, 2004 at 10:59 AM
jan.david.critchfield [at] us.army.mil
..included. But instead of just being part of the peanut gallery back in the States, here I am doing what I love"
Could this be why you "love" being in Iraq Specialist Critchfield?
GIs in Iraq escape sex-crime prosecution
Military records show soldiers receive light punishments
By Miles Moffeit
DENVER POST
U.S. soldiers accused of rape and other sex crimes while serving in Iraq routinely dodged prosecution during the last year with the help of commanders who gave them light punishments such as reprimands and pay cuts, according to military records released to the Denver Post.
Troops facing sex offenses were given job-related punishments -- which offer no prospect of prison time -- nearly five times as often as those charged with a crime.
Such leniency also was granted to soldiers accused of serial crimes. Though investigators compiled evidence to prosecute a Fort Stewart (Georgia) sergeant for sexually assaulting three subordinate battalion members, he was only given a reprimand, records show.
And though evidence was gathered to prosecute a military police officer for one of two rape allegations, reports show his commanders merely dropped him in rank and discharged him at his request.
Those cases are among three dozen closed investigations involving alleged assaults on troops by other military personnel released to the Post under the Freedom of Information Act. The Army records offer the clearest picture yet into the military's handling of sexual assault reports during the Iraqi war. The Navy and Air Force have not released similar data.
Many of the Army cases -- 25 others are still sealed awaiting disciplinary action -- confirm trends among reports from female troops who said they were attacked by fellow soldiers during Afghanistan and Iraq military operations: Specifically, that their complaints were met with incomplete investigations and lenient treatment of offenders.
"I am very concerned about this information," said Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard after reviewing several case details given to him by the Post. "I plan to bring it to the attention of the personnel subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee for discussion and possible investigation."
Pentagon officials said they could not comment on the cases because they did not have enough time to review them. But a spokeswoman emphasized that the defense department is examining how sexual assault cases are managed by commands.
"The Army is aggressive in investigating all cases of reported sexual misconduct," said Maj. Kristen Carle, an Army spokeswoman. "The Army has established a task force to conduct an Army-wide review of the effectiveness of current policies on reporting and addressing allegations."
Congress has been investigating the armed forces' response to sexual assault since late last year after the Post found widespread leniency for accused sex offenders and punishment for victims, most recently in the war zone.
The Pentagon launched an internal inquiry in February, but Defense Department officials declined to say Friday whether the newly released documents are being examined by the task force.
In the military, commanders decide whether soldiers face criminal proceedings, not prosecutors -- an issue that has drawn concern from Congress, legal experts and victim advocates. It also is common for commanders to weigh input from accused soldiers on what type of punishment they prefer.
Between February and December 2003, commanders in the battlefield gave 18 accused soldiers in the closed cases administrative punishments for sex-assault offenses. Four soldiers were court-martialed, leading to two convictions and two acquittals. Of the remaining 19 cases released by the Army, no punishment resulted because of a lack of evidence.
"These numbers startle me," said Eugene Fidell, director of the National Institute for Military Justice, referring to the administrative disciplines. The institute has repeatedly called for Congress to conduct a comprehensive study into commanders' authority over criminal matters. "The law currently gives commanders very broad discretion. I think there should be a call for some official explanation" from the Pentagon," Fidell said.
The newly released files were mostly truncated case files, containing blacked-out names of accused soldiers, investigators and commanders who issued disciplines.
Not all cases were soldier-on-soldier assaults.
In one investigation, three Fort Bragg soldiers with the 519th military intelligence battalion were accused of assaulting an Iraqi woman held in the Abu Ghraib prison. Though no details were provided, the report notes that the enlisted men were each fined at least $500 and demoted in rank.
Another case involving an assault on an Iraqi citizen led to a six-year prison sentence for a 4th Infantry Division soldier. He was found guilty by court martial of repeatedly molesting an Iraqi boy in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Such convictions were rare, even for those believed to have committed multiple offenses. Several soldiers who avoided prosecution faced more than one sex-assault allegation or were suspected of assaulting more than one victim.
In the case of the sergeant who assaulted three battalion soldiers -- two incidents occurring in shower stalls -- he even admitted to the crimes, documents show. And despite a prosecutor's note that "sufficient admissible evidence is available to prosecute the subject for the offenses," the commander chose only to reprimand the sergeant. No explanation was given, a trend in all the cases.
The Army's investigation into two rape accusations against an Army specialist serving at Camp Bucca led investigators to find evidence that he "committed the offenses of rape and forcible sodomy" in one of the crimes, according to documents.
His punishment: demotion and a discharge from the military -- without a criminal record.
Pentagon officials said in their statement to The Post that decisions behind administrative punishments often involve a variety of factors, sometimes including a lack of evidence to pursue prosecution.
In the case of the Iraqi prisoner who reported being assaulted, the case file notes that "investigation did not establish sufficient evidence to prove or disprove (the soldiers) committed the offenses." However, the case file notes that the investigation, which still had "leads remaining," was terminated because the subjects had been given administrative punishments by their commander.
Among other cases released to The Post:
--A specialist who, records show, admitted to having sexually assaulted another soldier was demoted, ordered to perform extra duty and given a $575 fine -- even though prosecutors advised the commander of ample evidence to prosecute him for sexual assault and giving false statements to try to cover up the crime.
--A master sergeant with a Fort Stewart unit was administratively rebuked for two separate assaults on one woman. The investigative report found "'probable cause to believe he committed the offense of indecent assault." Instead, his commander reprimanded him.
--A specialist was accused of raping a private at Camp Dogwood, however, the report said the woman delayed reporting the incident and an "untimely" response from investigators failed to collect enough evidence. The investigation was "terminated ... in that the subject's commander has indicated his intent to take action amounting to less than court proceedings and no further investigative assistance by CID is required."
--Military investigators recommended prosecuting a soldier with a Walter Reed Medical Center unit for sexually assaulting a private while she slept in her tent in Kuwait. Commanders instead gave him an administrative penalty. The case file did not disclose the specific action.
--Investigators believed a Fort Stewart soldier should be prosecuted for sodomizing and attempting to rape another soldier while she was sleeping. His commanders opted to halt the investigation despite remaining leads and to "administer punishment amounting less than a court proceeding." That action also was not disclosed.
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~2078434,00.html
jan.david.critchfield [at] us.army.mil
..included. But instead of just being part of the peanut gallery back in the States, here I am doing what I love"
Could this be why you "love" being in Iraq Specialist Critchfield?
GIs in Iraq escape sex-crime prosecution
Military records show soldiers receive light punishments
By Miles Moffeit
DENVER POST
U.S. soldiers accused of rape and other sex crimes while serving in Iraq routinely dodged prosecution during the last year with the help of commanders who gave them light punishments such as reprimands and pay cuts, according to military records released to the Denver Post.
Troops facing sex offenses were given job-related punishments -- which offer no prospect of prison time -- nearly five times as often as those charged with a crime.
Such leniency also was granted to soldiers accused of serial crimes. Though investigators compiled evidence to prosecute a Fort Stewart (Georgia) sergeant for sexually assaulting three subordinate battalion members, he was only given a reprimand, records show.
And though evidence was gathered to prosecute a military police officer for one of two rape allegations, reports show his commanders merely dropped him in rank and discharged him at his request.
Those cases are among three dozen closed investigations involving alleged assaults on troops by other military personnel released to the Post under the Freedom of Information Act. The Army records offer the clearest picture yet into the military's handling of sexual assault reports during the Iraqi war. The Navy and Air Force have not released similar data.
Many of the Army cases -- 25 others are still sealed awaiting disciplinary action -- confirm trends among reports from female troops who said they were attacked by fellow soldiers during Afghanistan and Iraq military operations: Specifically, that their complaints were met with incomplete investigations and lenient treatment of offenders.
"I am very concerned about this information," said Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard after reviewing several case details given to him by the Post. "I plan to bring it to the attention of the personnel subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee for discussion and possible investigation."
Pentagon officials said they could not comment on the cases because they did not have enough time to review them. But a spokeswoman emphasized that the defense department is examining how sexual assault cases are managed by commands.
"The Army is aggressive in investigating all cases of reported sexual misconduct," said Maj. Kristen Carle, an Army spokeswoman. "The Army has established a task force to conduct an Army-wide review of the effectiveness of current policies on reporting and addressing allegations."
Congress has been investigating the armed forces' response to sexual assault since late last year after the Post found widespread leniency for accused sex offenders and punishment for victims, most recently in the war zone.
The Pentagon launched an internal inquiry in February, but Defense Department officials declined to say Friday whether the newly released documents are being examined by the task force.
In the military, commanders decide whether soldiers face criminal proceedings, not prosecutors -- an issue that has drawn concern from Congress, legal experts and victim advocates. It also is common for commanders to weigh input from accused soldiers on what type of punishment they prefer.
Between February and December 2003, commanders in the battlefield gave 18 accused soldiers in the closed cases administrative punishments for sex-assault offenses. Four soldiers were court-martialed, leading to two convictions and two acquittals. Of the remaining 19 cases released by the Army, no punishment resulted because of a lack of evidence.
"These numbers startle me," said Eugene Fidell, director of the National Institute for Military Justice, referring to the administrative disciplines. The institute has repeatedly called for Congress to conduct a comprehensive study into commanders' authority over criminal matters. "The law currently gives commanders very broad discretion. I think there should be a call for some official explanation" from the Pentagon," Fidell said.
The newly released files were mostly truncated case files, containing blacked-out names of accused soldiers, investigators and commanders who issued disciplines.
Not all cases were soldier-on-soldier assaults.
In one investigation, three Fort Bragg soldiers with the 519th military intelligence battalion were accused of assaulting an Iraqi woman held in the Abu Ghraib prison. Though no details were provided, the report notes that the enlisted men were each fined at least $500 and demoted in rank.
Another case involving an assault on an Iraqi citizen led to a six-year prison sentence for a 4th Infantry Division soldier. He was found guilty by court martial of repeatedly molesting an Iraqi boy in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Such convictions were rare, even for those believed to have committed multiple offenses. Several soldiers who avoided prosecution faced more than one sex-assault allegation or were suspected of assaulting more than one victim.
In the case of the sergeant who assaulted three battalion soldiers -- two incidents occurring in shower stalls -- he even admitted to the crimes, documents show. And despite a prosecutor's note that "sufficient admissible evidence is available to prosecute the subject for the offenses," the commander chose only to reprimand the sergeant. No explanation was given, a trend in all the cases.
The Army's investigation into two rape accusations against an Army specialist serving at Camp Bucca led investigators to find evidence that he "committed the offenses of rape and forcible sodomy" in one of the crimes, according to documents.
His punishment: demotion and a discharge from the military -- without a criminal record.
Pentagon officials said in their statement to The Post that decisions behind administrative punishments often involve a variety of factors, sometimes including a lack of evidence to pursue prosecution.
In the case of the Iraqi prisoner who reported being assaulted, the case file notes that "investigation did not establish sufficient evidence to prove or disprove (the soldiers) committed the offenses." However, the case file notes that the investigation, which still had "leads remaining," was terminated because the subjects had been given administrative punishments by their commander.
Among other cases released to The Post:
--A specialist who, records show, admitted to having sexually assaulted another soldier was demoted, ordered to perform extra duty and given a $575 fine -- even though prosecutors advised the commander of ample evidence to prosecute him for sexual assault and giving false statements to try to cover up the crime.
--A master sergeant with a Fort Stewart unit was administratively rebuked for two separate assaults on one woman. The investigative report found "'probable cause to believe he committed the offense of indecent assault." Instead, his commander reprimanded him.
--A specialist was accused of raping a private at Camp Dogwood, however, the report said the woman delayed reporting the incident and an "untimely" response from investigators failed to collect enough evidence. The investigation was "terminated ... in that the subject's commander has indicated his intent to take action amounting to less than court proceedings and no further investigative assistance by CID is required."
--Military investigators recommended prosecuting a soldier with a Walter Reed Medical Center unit for sexually assaulting a private while she slept in her tent in Kuwait. Commanders instead gave him an administrative penalty. The case file did not disclose the specific action.
--Investigators believed a Fort Stewart soldier should be prosecuted for sodomizing and attempting to rape another soldier while she was sleeping. His commanders opted to halt the investigation despite remaining leads and to "administer punishment amounting less than a court proceeding." That action also was not disclosed.
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~2078434,00.html
http://makeashorterlink.com/?S1B624328
(snip)
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reports that for more than 10 days the Resistance fighters in the besieged city have been remarking about a phenomenon that they find strange and surprising. Resistance fighters have frequently noticed that many of the American aggressor troops are laughing as they storm into districts in al-Fallujah. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent personally witnessed this clearly when he was close to the events as US aggressors tried to storm an-Nizal neighborhood in the besieged city on Saturday.
The correspondent wrote that he saw two American soldiers laughing, such as to arouse pity for them, despite all the Resistance gunfire being poured at their position and their comrades dying around them. Both of the Americans were later killed in the battle. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent writes that the Resistance learned later from interrogations of captured American Marines that the US military medical service distributes a type of halucinogenic pill to the troops that prompts laughter and reduces the sense of fear in combat conditions.
The reverse situation has been revealed in the despair and terror exhibited by the US troops when their lines of supply of food and medicine have been cut – a phenomenon that has been witnessed by nearby Resistance fighters.
(snip)
(snip)
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reports that for more than 10 days the Resistance fighters in the besieged city have been remarking about a phenomenon that they find strange and surprising. Resistance fighters have frequently noticed that many of the American aggressor troops are laughing as they storm into districts in al-Fallujah. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent personally witnessed this clearly when he was close to the events as US aggressors tried to storm an-Nizal neighborhood in the besieged city on Saturday.
The correspondent wrote that he saw two American soldiers laughing, such as to arouse pity for them, despite all the Resistance gunfire being poured at their position and their comrades dying around them. Both of the Americans were later killed in the battle. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent writes that the Resistance learned later from interrogations of captured American Marines that the US military medical service distributes a type of halucinogenic pill to the troops that prompts laughter and reduces the sense of fear in combat conditions.
The reverse situation has been revealed in the despair and terror exhibited by the US troops when their lines of supply of food and medicine have been cut – a phenomenon that has been witnessed by nearby Resistance fighters.
(snip)
"the Resistance learned later from interrogations of captured American Marines that the US military medical service distributes a type of halucinogenic pill to the troops that prompts laughter and reduces the sense of fear in combat conditions."
Wow dude, Jacob's Ladder for real and shit...
Wow dude, Jacob's Ladder for real and shit...
Regarding "pointer's" comments.
First of all, Iraq is not Vietnam. Second, maybe you can relate to the kinds of sacrifices that soldiers are making over here, whether or not they believe in the war. Although it may have been a negative thing to have to go through, it seems that your experiences have made you an objective, mature, and experienced individual. That's more than I can say for the others that are responding to my article....
Regarding "US Troops Love Iraq".
Yeah. This is war. Soldiers are trained killers. Hard to relate to, right? That really says less about soldiers here and more about your ignorance of what soldiers go through in combat.
And 24 confirmed kills is kind of a show of skill for a sniper. That's a very high-skilled job and it's no surprise that a sniper would be proud of that acheivement. What you believe about killing others is one thing, but you aren't doing the killing, remember? You can push your morals on soldiers if you want, but then we're getting back to my point of 'you aren't here, buy a ticket and come and see for yourself'. It's easy to judge things you don't understand.
Resorting to personal attacks against me is juvenile and hardly deserves any response, but I just can't resist. Whoever posted that 'US Troops: Couldn't Get a Job etc etc' is a moron. Flat out. There's no other way of putting it.
It's true that men rape women. It's true that men rape women all over the world. I think that's a serious issue and I've always thought that the punishment for sexual assualt should be more severe... both in the US and, sure enough, in the Armed Forces. To say that I'M over here raping and killing is an ignorant generalization. You don't know me.
And just to remind everyone, a lot of the soldiers over here are reservists. That means they have JOBS and families waiting for them back in the states. These people are professionals.
But whoever posted that steaming pile of BS (in this context, anyway) wouldn't know anything about the military, right?
Drugged troops. Right. Getting a little off the topic, huh? Let's just go out and look for whatever anti-war clap we can find and post it on this page, shall we? And while that hallucinogen stuff is interesting, it is hardly written like a news story, it's written more like "here's what I saw, I saw guys laughing, and here's what I think was going on." That's bad journalism. Get real folks! THERE ARE NO EYEWITNESS SOURCES. DUH!!!!!
Let's be more responsible with what we read, shall we? Or, like I said before, join me on a patrol through Baghdad! One part of my job is escorting media. We'll have a blast.
First of all, Iraq is not Vietnam. Second, maybe you can relate to the kinds of sacrifices that soldiers are making over here, whether or not they believe in the war. Although it may have been a negative thing to have to go through, it seems that your experiences have made you an objective, mature, and experienced individual. That's more than I can say for the others that are responding to my article....
Regarding "US Troops Love Iraq".
Yeah. This is war. Soldiers are trained killers. Hard to relate to, right? That really says less about soldiers here and more about your ignorance of what soldiers go through in combat.
And 24 confirmed kills is kind of a show of skill for a sniper. That's a very high-skilled job and it's no surprise that a sniper would be proud of that acheivement. What you believe about killing others is one thing, but you aren't doing the killing, remember? You can push your morals on soldiers if you want, but then we're getting back to my point of 'you aren't here, buy a ticket and come and see for yourself'. It's easy to judge things you don't understand.
Resorting to personal attacks against me is juvenile and hardly deserves any response, but I just can't resist. Whoever posted that 'US Troops: Couldn't Get a Job etc etc' is a moron. Flat out. There's no other way of putting it.
It's true that men rape women. It's true that men rape women all over the world. I think that's a serious issue and I've always thought that the punishment for sexual assualt should be more severe... both in the US and, sure enough, in the Armed Forces. To say that I'M over here raping and killing is an ignorant generalization. You don't know me.
And just to remind everyone, a lot of the soldiers over here are reservists. That means they have JOBS and families waiting for them back in the states. These people are professionals.
But whoever posted that steaming pile of BS (in this context, anyway) wouldn't know anything about the military, right?
Drugged troops. Right. Getting a little off the topic, huh? Let's just go out and look for whatever anti-war clap we can find and post it on this page, shall we? And while that hallucinogen stuff is interesting, it is hardly written like a news story, it's written more like "here's what I saw, I saw guys laughing, and here's what I think was going on." That's bad journalism. Get real folks! THERE ARE NO EYEWITNESS SOURCES. DUH!!!!!
Let's be more responsible with what we read, shall we? Or, like I said before, join me on a patrol through Baghdad! One part of my job is escorting media. We'll have a blast.
Someone is on drugs here, but I don't think it is the soldiers.
Good morning..
All news are depressing. Nothing is promising. Falloja is still on fire.
Things at Alnajaf threatens that it might be a new front, so we could be
even more happy! I feel hopeless and defeated.
Someone wants to destroy us, and he's making a very good job at it.
The whole world stands watching us.
Hearts and minds are confused wondering what is really going on???
We too, with open mouths and popped out eyes, are wondering: for God's sake
tell us what is really going on???
**************************
Did someone plan to make Iraq the battlefield for the war between terrorists
and their enemies??
Were ignoring borders' security and the state of lawlessness a planned thing
to draw America's enemies into Iraq where they can be fought?
When did the battlefield became Iraq instead of the US?
Iraq instead of Afghanistan?
what did We- innocent civilians- do?
Who cares about us?
Who defends us?
We go to our work and schools accompanied with fear and come back with it..
We hear explosions and the choppers flying day and night,and the fighter
planes flying at night.
I don't know what for!
Maybe they bomb Falloja and then fly back to Baghdad?
We don't understand anything anymore.
We want peace and security.
We want this insanity to stop...
Who holds the power to make it stop?
Who holds the power???
*****************************
Newspapers, radio stations and satellite channels keeps presing on our
nerves. Maybe in The rest of the world they're getting bored of listening to
our news.They'll start looking for less enraging and disgusting topics..
I don't blame them.
Human beings are weak creatures with low threshold when it comes to
listening to painful and irritating news.
The world will get bored and stops listening.
The ones who planned for all this devastation will go on with their plans
uninterrupted.
Will they win??
I don't know.
If we were negative and weak, then they'll win.
That's the way it is.
people keep their heads low because they are afraid and they want peace of
mind.
But what about us? What's left of our lives?
What do we bet on?
People die for trivial reasons and our eyes are filled with tears and our
hearts are torn apart by sorrow.
The same hearts which dreamt of peace, love and happiness- like any other
heart- heart which dreamt of happy moments with our loved ones, where we
laugh and talk to them and dream of a beautiful future.
We are no longer one of people with such hearts.
We don't belong to them any more.
Sadness lives with us and we don't know who is our friend and who is our
enemy anymore.
Life became a trivial matter like a cheap movie that you wouldn't want to
watch even if you got a free ticket.
That's Iraqis' everyday life.
Who cares about them or about their daily problems?
Who will volunteer to defend them and stop this daily destruction?
I don't think anybody wants to do that...
I don't think anybody can do that..
God now controls everything, and does what he wants.
and we have nothing to do except to be patient and wait.
************************
USA Today reporter visited us few days ago.
We talked about this site, when we started to blog and why.
Then I called the women and chidren from Falloja who were staying with their
relatives next door so he would interview them.
The fighting at Falloja was very intense at that time.
Then the article was published (
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-20-bloggers_x.htm ). It was
tasteless and meaningless and he didn't write a word about the Falloja
residents he met.
What exactly happened to César the reporter? I don't know...
But I can picture him apologizing and saying this is the way our media is,
sorry I couldn't write about them.
Thank you César.I understand what happened. You always show half of the
truth.
********************
This is what I think would happen to the CNN reporter.
He won't air the film or he'll edit it so -again- it'll be meaningless,
empty and trivial.
I look at the USA, the land of freedom and democracy from Baghdad, the land
of destruction, devastation and sadness, and I smile bitterly and wonder
about the meaning of such words: freedom and democracy.
Or what's left of them.
*******
posted by faiza : 12:45 PM
http://afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com/
All news are depressing. Nothing is promising. Falloja is still on fire.
Things at Alnajaf threatens that it might be a new front, so we could be
even more happy! I feel hopeless and defeated.
Someone wants to destroy us, and he's making a very good job at it.
The whole world stands watching us.
Hearts and minds are confused wondering what is really going on???
We too, with open mouths and popped out eyes, are wondering: for God's sake
tell us what is really going on???
**************************
Did someone plan to make Iraq the battlefield for the war between terrorists
and their enemies??
Were ignoring borders' security and the state of lawlessness a planned thing
to draw America's enemies into Iraq where they can be fought?
When did the battlefield became Iraq instead of the US?
Iraq instead of Afghanistan?
what did We- innocent civilians- do?
Who cares about us?
Who defends us?
We go to our work and schools accompanied with fear and come back with it..
We hear explosions and the choppers flying day and night,and the fighter
planes flying at night.
I don't know what for!
Maybe they bomb Falloja and then fly back to Baghdad?
We don't understand anything anymore.
We want peace and security.
We want this insanity to stop...
Who holds the power to make it stop?
Who holds the power???
*****************************
Newspapers, radio stations and satellite channels keeps presing on our
nerves. Maybe in The rest of the world they're getting bored of listening to
our news.They'll start looking for less enraging and disgusting topics..
I don't blame them.
Human beings are weak creatures with low threshold when it comes to
listening to painful and irritating news.
The world will get bored and stops listening.
The ones who planned for all this devastation will go on with their plans
uninterrupted.
Will they win??
I don't know.
If we were negative and weak, then they'll win.
That's the way it is.
people keep their heads low because they are afraid and they want peace of
mind.
But what about us? What's left of our lives?
What do we bet on?
People die for trivial reasons and our eyes are filled with tears and our
hearts are torn apart by sorrow.
The same hearts which dreamt of peace, love and happiness- like any other
heart- heart which dreamt of happy moments with our loved ones, where we
laugh and talk to them and dream of a beautiful future.
We are no longer one of people with such hearts.
We don't belong to them any more.
Sadness lives with us and we don't know who is our friend and who is our
enemy anymore.
Life became a trivial matter like a cheap movie that you wouldn't want to
watch even if you got a free ticket.
That's Iraqis' everyday life.
Who cares about them or about their daily problems?
Who will volunteer to defend them and stop this daily destruction?
I don't think anybody wants to do that...
I don't think anybody can do that..
God now controls everything, and does what he wants.
and we have nothing to do except to be patient and wait.
************************
USA Today reporter visited us few days ago.
We talked about this site, when we started to blog and why.
Then I called the women and chidren from Falloja who were staying with their
relatives next door so he would interview them.
The fighting at Falloja was very intense at that time.
Then the article was published (
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-20-bloggers_x.htm ). It was
tasteless and meaningless and he didn't write a word about the Falloja
residents he met.
What exactly happened to César the reporter? I don't know...
But I can picture him apologizing and saying this is the way our media is,
sorry I couldn't write about them.
Thank you César.I understand what happened. You always show half of the
truth.
********************
This is what I think would happen to the CNN reporter.
He won't air the film or he'll edit it so -again- it'll be meaningless,
empty and trivial.
I look at the USA, the land of freedom and democracy from Baghdad, the land
of destruction, devastation and sadness, and I smile bitterly and wonder
about the meaning of such words: freedom and democracy.
Or what's left of them.
*******
posted by faiza : 12:45 PM
http://afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com/
As my title says I found this web site by mistake. But I have read everything that you all have writen. Makes me think, that I don't know what is going on in this world we live in.
There are people everywhere getting killed and starving and being raped. Out of 10 girls in Foster Care in the United States 6 have been raped. What are you doing to stop this huh? What are you doing to help others from being hurt and killing themselfs or turning to drugs. People are raped and people die but still someone will step in and try to help. Let them help if it is being asked. If they are needed and wanted let them stay.
You assholes speak of being raped happen in other countrys. It happens here every day and assholes and nasty women with issues get away with it. A soldier is someone that believes in making a difference. These soldiers can be assholes and can be father and friends to anyone of us.
It is shitty that we , as people don't know how to Fix everything out there. That we can't listen and see death all around us. So stop hating those who are fighting for what they think is right.
I wish there were different ways to fix this fucken war. I want my cousin's back and my boyfriend. But I am proud and worry day and night. When those who you care for in danger, all you can hope is that they make it. For those of you who hate and make fun of this or disagree. Then disagree with the war not the men or women who are fighting it.
So think I shouldn't be writing this or that this is sappy. But Fuck all of you, I have said what I wanted to say..been up for 6 hours and this is my break. Think what you will but I support what my boyfriend does and am very proud.
There are people everywhere getting killed and starving and being raped. Out of 10 girls in Foster Care in the United States 6 have been raped. What are you doing to stop this huh? What are you doing to help others from being hurt and killing themselfs or turning to drugs. People are raped and people die but still someone will step in and try to help. Let them help if it is being asked. If they are needed and wanted let them stay.
You assholes speak of being raped happen in other countrys. It happens here every day and assholes and nasty women with issues get away with it. A soldier is someone that believes in making a difference. These soldiers can be assholes and can be father and friends to anyone of us.
It is shitty that we , as people don't know how to Fix everything out there. That we can't listen and see death all around us. So stop hating those who are fighting for what they think is right.
I wish there were different ways to fix this fucken war. I want my cousin's back and my boyfriend. But I am proud and worry day and night. When those who you care for in danger, all you can hope is that they make it. For those of you who hate and make fun of this or disagree. Then disagree with the war not the men or women who are fighting it.
So think I shouldn't be writing this or that this is sappy. But Fuck all of you, I have said what I wanted to say..been up for 6 hours and this is my break. Think what you will but I support what my boyfriend does and am very proud.
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