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Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist

Tashah said:
I just finished looking at every news-story and blog-article listed at Google News concerning this. They basically all say what was reported in this thread OP. According to the US military, three Navy Seal commando's have been officially charged with “abusing a detainee” and “falsifying official documents”. The initial charge stems from an abuse complaint filed by the terrorist himself. The secondary charge is a consequence of the initial abuse charge.

People can only go by what the military itself has stated. Either the military is witholding pertinint information on this case, or the military is engaged in a ridiculous and petty application of political correctness as reported.

Neither scenario is very comforting.
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From what I can find, every source is referencing the FOX story. I am not finding any actual additional information. If you did, I would love a link please so I can read more.

This quote is from the FOX story:

United States Central Command declined to discuss the detainee, but a legal source told FoxNews.com that the detainee was turned over to Iraqi authorities, to whom he made the abuse complaints. He was then returned to American custody. The SEAL leader reported the charge up the chain of command, and an investigation ensued.
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In point of fact, there is a distinct lack of the military's side of the story. That and the fact that what is presented is presented in a very one sided manner suggests that there is a good chance that there is important details we do not know. I find it unlikely that a "bloody lip" would result in even NJP under most circumstances.

If I had to make a guess, and I emphasize this is just a guess, what happened is the guys got a little carried away with Ahmed Hashim Abed, knocked him around a bit. He complained to the Iraqi's, who passed it along to the US, who decided to do a token investigation. The Seals lied about it, and the lie came out. They are now in trouble not for knocking Abed around a bit, but for lying to an investigation, which is serious. If they had been honest with the investigation, I am betting they would never have gotten more than a little extra duty and an ass chewing, which is the most it would be worth. The US liaison with the Iraqi's goes back and reports that the offenders where punished, and that ends it. As happens far too often, it's the coverup that is the big problem.

I repeat again, the above paragraph is just a guess, based on what little information that is available that I have found. If you have more information, I would love to see it. I also want to repeat that even if all the above paragraph is basically accurate, I still don't think much should be done to the Seals. You have to do something, both because you cannot allow people to get away with lying to an investigation, and because you do not reward people for pushing something to a court marshal. 60/60 sound about right, it hurts, but only for a little while.

What I also want to emphasize here is I am not saying this is not messed up, nor am I saying anything concrete really except I do not think we have enough information to rush to a judgment.
 
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jamesrage said:
A liberal siding with a scumbag over that of our service men and women(or sometimes law enforcement), why does that sound so cliche?
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I haven't decided in favor of the Army or the accused, boo. I don't judge criminal charges without the facts. The facts will come out as the cases progress.
 
The real issue here, is how this will effect future missions. How will future raids go down? How willing will future SEAL's be to take on such missions? Fearing they might get charged with bull**** if they "hurt the terrorist"?

This is a mess, plain and simple.
 
Redress said:
If I had to make a guess, and I emphasize this is just a guess, what happened is the guys got a little carried away with Ahmed Hashim Abed, knocked him around a bit.
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Firstly, they couldn't have knocked him around too badly if all he got was a fat lip. Such crap happens everyday with kids on playgrounds all around the world. Lets be real here.

Secondly, I personally have no ethical problem using whatever force is deemed necessary by professionals on the scene to neutralize a wanted terrorist/killer. If the situation requires a wallop, then wallop him.

Lastly, they do deserve some form of reprimand if they in fact lied to an investigator. But such a penalty should be balanced in consideration of the service they performed with this mission. To their additional credit, they also captured this asshole alive.
 
MrVicchio said:
...how this will effect future missions.
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washingtonpost.com: Slayings of 4 Soldiers' Wives Stun Ft. Bragg

The wives of four Army soldiers at Fort Bragg, N.C., have been slain in the past six weeks, allegedly by their husbands, in a rash of violence that has shocked the Special Operations Command and left Army commanders deeply concerned, officers at the base said yesterday.

Three of the servicemen involved were members of Special Operations units and had recently returned from Afghanistan. Two of those soldiers killed themselves, police said. The fourth slaying, which occurred earlier this month, was allegedly committed by a sergeant from a regular Army unit that was not involved in the Afghan war.
 
Whip Comes Down said:
washingtonpost.com: Slayings of 4 Soldiers' Wives Stun Ft. Bragg

The wives of four Army soldiers at Fort Bragg, N.C., have been slain in the past six weeks, allegedly by their husbands, in a rash of violence that has shocked the Special Operations Command and left Army commanders deeply concerned, officers at the base said yesterday.

Three of the servicemen involved were members of Special Operations units and had recently returned from Afghanistan. Two of those soldiers killed themselves, police said. The fourth slaying, which occurred earlier this month, was allegedly committed by a sergeant from a regular Army unit that was not involved in the Afghan war.
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wtf? This story is from 2002.
 
Tashah said:
wtf? This story is from 2002.
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The Troll is trying to stir **** up. Notice how he refuses to answer most questions, he does claim to have been in the Army as a Special Forces Commando, but if you press him he ignores you. It's amusing to watch.
 
Tashah said:
Firstly, they couldn't have knocked him around too badly if all he got was a fat lip. Such crap happens everyday with kids on playgrounds all around the world. Lets be real here.

Secondly, I personally have no ethical problem using whatever force is deemed necessary by professionals on the scene to neutralize a wanted terrorist/killer. If the situation requires a wallop, then wallop him.

Lastly, they do deserve some form of reprimand if they in fact lied to an investigator. But such a penalty should be balanced in consideration of the service they performed with this mission. To their additional credit, they also captured this asshole alive.
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I do not disagree with any of those statements at all. I said something along the lines that if all they did was give the guy a bloody lip, they should not be punished for that earlier in the thread. My whole line of thought on this matter is that certain things just sound wrong about this using the information available. The list of charges reads like something that would normally go to court marshal and not be handled at command level with NJP, so why was it originally going to be NJP? If a bloody lip was all that happened, why charge any one with anything? Things like that make me think there are significant details we do not know.
 
MrVicchio said:
The Troll is trying to stir **** up. Notice how he refuses to answer most questions, he does claim to have been in the Army as a Special Forces Commando, but if you press him he ignores you. It's amusing to watch.
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My oldest brother is US SOF. He best tread lightly.
 
I just don't view a fat lip as anything to get riled up over, much less send the Navy Seals who did it to a trial over the incident. I can certainly understand that happening if they gouged out his eyeballs or cut off a limb or something, but a fat lip? Sorry, they were just doing their job. Those Seals are innocent until proven guilty, and I doubt that they'll be found guilty and court martialed over such a thing.

I certainly understand the other side, that there's got to be rules in situations like this, but this is over the top imho.

Since it's Thanksgiving, I think i'll have a glass of wine and raise a toast to these guys and all of our troops. Stay safe this holiday!
 
...three SEALs — two officers and an enlisted sailor — have been identified by investigators as witnesses but have not been charged.
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It appears that their fellow soldiers may have reported the conduct that led to the charges against the three SEALS.
 
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Polynikes said:
three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com.
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The government screws up everything it touches. The capture of terrorists should be left to the free market.

The government has no right to steal my money and reward incompetents. Furthermore, it infringes on my right to be terrorized, if that's what I want.


Limited Government Means Limited Military ​
 
Whip Comes Down said:
The government screws up everything it touches. The capture of terrorists should be left to the free market.

The government has no right to steal my money and reward incompetents. Furthermore, it infringes on my right to be terrorized, if that's what I want.


Limited Government Means Limited Military ​
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Article 1, section 8, read it, learn it, live it.
 
The hate for the military is ramping up again under Obama. The Huffington Report is an organization that hates the military.
 
American said:
The hate for the military is ramping up again under Obama. The Huffington Report is an organization that hates the military.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Lord, you tell the best jokes sometimes.
 
Whip Comes Down said:
It appears that their fellow soldiers may have reported the conduct that led to the charges against the three SEALS.
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If the military prosecutors feel the case is legit and bona-fide, why not just lay it all out? Where is the transparancy promised after Abu Ghraib? I don't understand why they are half-assing this.
 
Tashah said:
If the military prosecutors feel the case is legit and bona-fide, why not just lay it all out? Where is the transparancy promised after Abu Ghraib? I don't understand why they are half-assing this.
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Do you mean why is the military not talking about the case? They should not until it is resolved. Since I doubt the bloody lip is the real issue, they do not need the transparency really for that part, and the rest is no ones business. The last thing the military(the navy in this case I assume) want to do is appear to be burying these guys in the media.
 
Whip Comes Down said:
Where did you flunk out of law school?
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ummm...she is a scientist and veteran who has actually contributed to society. I would not criticize to rudely. Throwing stones, glass houses, all that stuff comes to mind.
 
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