Officer Faces Legal Hearing

[Typhoon1244]

U.S. Officer Faces Legal Hearing Over Iraq Assault
Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Dean Yates

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - A senior U.S. officer went before a preliminary military hearing in Iraq (news - web sites) Tuesday over charges he beat up an Iraqi during interrogation and fired his pistol near the detained man's head.

U.S. army officials said they believed Lieutenant-Colonel Allen West of the 4th Infantry Division was the most senior soldier charged with assaulting Iraqis since the invasion to oust Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) last March.

In a statement outlining the accusations, the military said West also faced charges of threatening to kill the detained Iraqi, Yahya Jhodri Hamoody, if he did not talk.

West's lawyer said his client did not dispute the description of what he had done but argued he had acted legally and in self-defense, as he was trying to gain information to prevent an attack against him and his soldiers.

"He doesn't deny doing what is alleged in the charges but we as a defense team deny the criminality of the charges," said lawyer Neal Puckett, a retired army officer. "Given the circumstances, he hasn't committed any crimes."

One witness, Private Michael Johnson (news - web sites), told the hearing that Hamoody was a policeman. He said he saw West fire his pistol not far from the man's head.

Am I the only one who's thinking "so?"

What was he supposed to do, buy him lunch? Get him a manicure?

Are we at war or aren't we?

 

[FL000]

Is this the same soldier whose tactics resulted in information which allowed the military to deter an attack, saving American lives?

 

[Swass]

That's just great. Let's tie our soldiers hands behind their backs so they can't do their jobs and get themselves killed. Danmed ACLU types, PC freaks and peacenick scumbuckets. LET THE SOLDIERS DO THEIR JOBS.

 

[Timebuilder]

Is this the same soldier whose tactics resulted in information which allowed the military to deter an attack, saving American lives?

Yes, it is the same Colonel.

I'm really leaked about this situation. The prisoner wasn't beaten or mistreated in any way. He was frightened. This is war, and war is frightening.

I think this is a bunch of cr*p.

 

[bart]

What's the big deal, I have heard of molars being pulled with pliers in similar situations. Everyone just closed ranks and drove on. Wonder why his soldiers let this happen...