This has nothing to do directly with the 5th district but it does reflect on the type of politicians we now have in DC. I am completely pissed at what is happening to three of our service men, Navy Seals, who put their lives on the line to defend our country. From Fox News: “Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com…. “Ahmed Hashim Abed, whom the military code-named “Objective Amber,” told investigators he was punched by his captors — and he had the bloody lip to prove it.”
This is what happens to our country when we send a bunch of candy-assed politicians to Washington who are more concerned about protecting our reputation then our country. We have spilled our blood all over the world in the last century protecting countries from tyrants and we now have a President and Congress that want to apologize for all the “bad things” that we have done over the years. We are the greatest and noblest country on the planet and we have to worry because maybe a navy seal gave a murdering, piece of crap thug a bloody lip. Give me a friggin break. Who are you going to believe an honorable American hero or a terrorist that has no respect for human life? If one of these Seals actually gave this piece of human excrement a punch in the mouth he should be given a medal not a court martial. When are we going to stand behind our men and women who go into harms way while we sit safe at home?
Over the coming Holidays we need to think and pray for the men and women who are serving in our arm forces. It is only because of these fine Americans that we are able to enjoy these holidays in safety with our loved ones. Tomorrow we should all remember to give thanks for what they have done for our country.
8 Comments
We should honor these men who are protecting us from killers.I really miss GWB you would never have seen this type action when he was in office.
The chief reason why I left the Republican Party was because so many senior officials, during the Bush regime, condoned the abuse of government power, including the torture of Americans and jailing our citizens without charges or trial.
In the post 9/11 hysteria period, many Americans were so frightened by all of the “terrorist” talk going on, they completely surrendered our government and gave the Bush regime the green light to do anything in the name of counter-terrorism. Many Republicans still believe that torture is OK, as long as it is not applied to them and that government should be able to compromise all of our civil liberties whenever the President (as long as he is Republican) proclaims that we are at war (even though declaring war is Congress’ job).
The fact that some of our SEALs are to be investigated, is not a sign of weakness by our side, but should be met as a sign that we are returning to be a nation where we all are subject to the laws.
Most likely, these SEALs will have their methods reviewed and if they abused the prisoner after he was in custody, then corrective action will be taken. As you so aptly point out, the bravery exhibited by the SEALs will surely also be taken into account.
If all that happened was the captive got popped in the mouth by an overzealous SEAL, then we should expect a reprimand for the SEAL and his Petty Officer in Charge. If the force was used appropriately, then no reprimand will be issued.
Most of the time, our military justice system makes the right decision.
Our history is full of cases where enemy soldiers were eager to surrender to U.S. forces because we used to have the reputation of treating our enemy prisoners of war in a highly humane manner. Now, because of the torture practiced by the Bush regime, we may no longer enjoy such an advantage and future adversaries may elect to fight to the death, rather than to surrender.
Perhaps this step back to adherence to our own regulations and laws will help begin to restore our national reputation for treating captives in a just and humane manner. Demonstrating that we Americans will not condone abuse of captured enemies, will serve to encourage adversaries to cooperate with, rather than to fight against our soldiers. It shall also serve as an example of humane treatment that will provide a great incentive to our adversaries to also treat Americans who are captured by them, in a civilized manner.
It will most likely cause us another attack.The USA is starting to look weak to our enemies.
J. The terrorist was not an American citizen, they should of put a bullet in the barbarians head.
J. you knowledge of this issue is sorely lacking. No body REPEAT NO BODY was tortured, if you consider pouring water on the face of a man who planned the murder of 3,000 people torture, you need to get you head examined.
Second, Al quaida and Osma Bin Laden declared war on America in 1994, and have been fighting it like a war since then, they will never surrender or give up, until we are gone or they are wiped out, so this so called torture did no change their goals or ideology one way or another.
Third, they are not soldiers, they are enemy combatants, during WWII they would have been shot on the spot, if captured, no questions asked.
Fourth, if some piece of shit, who killed, mutilated, and burned American citizens to death got a busted lip, I could give a flying f**k, he should of had his head blown off, you and your liberal buddies can keep on treating this terrorist barbarians like they deserve rights, they don’t, they are not American citizens, so there for they deserve no Constitutional rights or protections, they are enemy combatants, and would have been treated like spies or saboteurs during any other war and been executed on the spot.
J, you also seem to forget Congress declared war in both Irag and on terror.
I mean Iraq
There was no declaration of War in either instance, Mr. Watson. It doesn’t count to have Congress merely abdicate as they did with Bush. Congress must reassert its war powers to eliminate any more wars made by Executive fiat.
Yours seems to be a Jack Bauer view, where the ends justify any means. That is TV, not reality.
What so many, frothing at the mouth chicken-hawk Republicans fail to comprehend, and there is little wonder why they completely miss this point, is that when you hand over to government agencies unlimited power, those agencies will very likely turn that power against you, the citizen, either when under duress, or merely when there is a change of political leadership. The way the Clintonistas directed the DOJ against citizen militia groups and even the Sons of Confederate Veterans and United Daughters of the Confederacy are recent examples of how a left-leaning administration used precedence set by a preceding administration to justify extra-constitutional use of Executive power.
Just to follow-up on your, obviously heartfelt concern for my former shipmates, I can assure you that our military justice system is first rate and the most likely outcome will be a thorough investigation of the procedures used, with some recommendations for adjustments to training. As I wrote before, there is also a possibility that the investigation will reveal that an appropriate amount of force was used, but even if not, the whole record of the SEALS involved in the incident will be taken into account, and their exemplary prior service and bravery will weigh heavily in their favor.