[politics]
Apr. 30th, 2004 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
holzman_tweedIt appears that in addition to soldiers, at least one mercenary was involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners.
Now, first, let me make something perfectly clear. The mercenaries are by and large getting a bum rap. I know some mercenaries. I'm even friends with one or two. They're people, just like you and me, and the profession has a broad range of people in it, the same way that police, infosec professionals, school teachers, doctors, lawyers, and everyone else does. This is not a dis of mercenaries per se.
But this situation is intolerable. It is another example of poor planning on the part of the administration in the prosecution of this war. Who the hell decided that mercenaries operating in a U.S. military operation aren't subject the same standards that our soldiers are? Who the hell decided they aren't subject to the law of Proconsul Bremer's occupation? Who the hell decided that the only accountability this alleged rapist had was to his employer?!?
This person needs to be shipped back to Iraq and tried. I don't much care if it's under the UCMJ or whatever law is operating for civilians in Iraq right now. If this person is guilty, they need to be swinging high and long right next to the soldiers, and for exactly the same reasons.
And if some damnfool actually contracted with a mercenary firm that they would have this lack of accountability while representing the United States, that person needs to be staring at some serious criminal charges, too.
Godsdamit, that's two in one day. Time for numnums and a nap.
Colonel Jill Morgenthaler, speaking for central command, told the Guardian: "One contractor was originally included with six soldiers, accused for his treatment of the prisoners, but we had no jurisdiction over him. It was left up to the contractor on how to deal with him."
She did not specify the accusation facing the contractor, but according to several sources with detailed knowledge of the case, he raped an Iraqi inmate in his mid-teens.
Now, first, let me make something perfectly clear. The mercenaries are by and large getting a bum rap. I know some mercenaries. I'm even friends with one or two. They're people, just like you and me, and the profession has a broad range of people in it, the same way that police, infosec professionals, school teachers, doctors, lawyers, and everyone else does. This is not a dis of mercenaries per se.
But this situation is intolerable. It is another example of poor planning on the part of the administration in the prosecution of this war. Who the hell decided that mercenaries operating in a U.S. military operation aren't subject the same standards that our soldiers are? Who the hell decided they aren't subject to the law of Proconsul Bremer's occupation? Who the hell decided that the only accountability this alleged rapist had was to his employer?!?
This person needs to be shipped back to Iraq and tried. I don't much care if it's under the UCMJ or whatever law is operating for civilians in Iraq right now. If this person is guilty, they need to be swinging high and long right next to the soldiers, and for exactly the same reasons.
And if some damnfool actually contracted with a mercenary firm that they would have this lack of accountability while representing the United States, that person needs to be staring at some serious criminal charges, too.
Godsdamit, that's two in one day. Time for numnums and a nap.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-30 02:44 pm (UTC)Just think of it as another case where privatization helps cut down on bureaucratic overhead. If it's good enough for energy, communications, and antitrust oversight, it's good enough for military operations, right?