Details of SEAL incident emerge
Rowan Scarborough of the Washington Times writes this morning about some of the details of the trial of the 3 Navy SEALs who were court martialed for assaulting Ahmed Hashim Abed when he was arrested in iraq ate last year. The article includes a copy of the capture report;
Abed’s status as a most-wanted killer is one reason many Americans rallied around the three SEALs, who were accused of hitting him after capture. They celebrated after the last defendant, Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe, was found not guilty Thursday of assaulting Abed by a seven-member military jury in Norfolk, Va.
General Charles Cleveland, the head of the special-operations component of U.S. Central Command explains why he brought charges against the three SEALs;
“I take my responsibility as a commander and convening authority very seriously and did not make the decision to refer these charges to courts-martial lightly,” Gen. Cleveland said. “While I had preferred to handle the incident administratively, Petty Officers Huertas, McCabe and Keefe exercised their right to have this matter handled by a court-martial. The evidence presented reasonable grounds to believe that offenses had been committed and that Petty Officers Huertas, McCabe, and Keefe had committed those offenses. In the interests of justice and to maintain good order and discipline, I chose to proceed with the courts-martial.
I think most Americans disagree. The lack of evidence against the 3 shows that this was just a show trial so Cleveland could absolve himself and to avoid making a decision. The people who already hold the troops in low esteem will use this as justification for their abhorrence of those in uniform. Cleveland made a political decision instead of showing leadership. The fact that he felt he had to make a statement Friday explaining his decision, proves to me that it was a purely political decision.
Category: Military issues
So, apparently he hasn’t read “Lone Survivor”? Another BF extraordinaire.
Ir was absolutely a political prosecution, no different than any of the show trials the Soviets conducted for the press.
No amount of soap will scrub the stench from this affair, and it is to be hoped that those involved in pushing this prosecution have their FitReps and Evals adjusted appropriately.
I’d be interested to see what happens to that little crapweasel Master at Arms who was the star witness. HE should be prosecuted for dereliction of duty, since he admitted leaving his post and the prisoner, against regulations, unattended.
Unfortunately, Tim, General Cleveland will skate from any responsibility on this one. Look for him to have a nice cush position within the Obama or some other Democrat administration when he retires.
We need cloning technology so we can bring back Gens Patton and Sherman.
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There is another possibility but one would have to assume a level of political craftiness on the part of the convening authority. By allowing it to go to trial the situation gets a lot of publicity and demonstrates a willingness to keep things in the light of open examination. By declining prosecution they would be open to a charge of a cover up. By doing it this way the charges have been shown to have been bogus and it eliminated a bunch of controversy for the conspiracy folks. In effect it is a possible slap to the face of those who ARE firmly in the PC camp since their charges were examined and then shown to be baseless.
In any event I am glad the 3 Seals chose to fight it in open court and that they were all cleared of any wrongdoing.
Anyone have any insight on what this has done to the morale of SOC at CENTCOM? Can’t believe too many of the Good Guys want to risk ending their careers for this POS officer.
I think this guy is primary example of what drives many to leave military service: The Bureaucratic, Career First Asshole.
John, I’m glad you framed it that way. I had always felt like there was more politics to this than what we were hearing. To the credit of the Seals, they saw the “cover-up” outcome possibility and stood their ground. This had a perfect ending – though the entire parade should never have seen the light of day. And I’m with Tim – I hope the asshole “witness” gets a comeuppance that makes him small. Between this outcome and having to possibly “mirandize” battlefield captures, why capture? Just kill em. Holder’s just gonna spend more money with his friends in the Gitmo business – before he lets em go.
cleveland was the AO commander. He had the option of letting the USN handle the the situation (they would have dropped it), dropping it himself or pursueing such a weak case.
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Besides the cost in money and moral this political POS continued prosution. This is what generals do who seek promotion through politics, squash the troops for personnal gain.
To Nucsnipe……I’ll drink to that !!!
I wonder what Genital Cleveland would have said if the prosecution had managed to secure a conviction. I bet it would’ve been entriely different.
I accuse General Cleveland of betraying his men and his responsibilities, of dereliction of duty and cowardice, and also of giving material aid and comfort to the enemy (which is treason). No, beyond external appearances, I have no real evidence for this, but by Cleveland’s own standards that is enough and “(i)n the interests of justice and to maintain good order and discipline, (the DOD should) proceed with the courts-martial”.
“The lack of evidence against the 3 shows that this was just a show trial so Cleveland could absolve himself and to avoid making a decision.”
That’s how I see it, although I’ve also pondered the possibility that Old Tanker brought up. Whatever the case may be, I’d bet that morale suffered at SOCOM.