Officer took Iraqi abuse claims outside chain of command

[sabra]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2002520955&zsection_id=2002107549&slug=abuse26&date=20050926

Officer took Iraqi abuse claims outside chain of command

By Richard A. Serrano
Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — When Army Capt. Ian Fishback told his company and battalion commanders that soldiers were abusing Iraqi prisoners in violation of the Geneva Convention, he says he was told those rules are easily skirted.

When he wrote a memo complaining that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was wrong in telling Congress the Army follows the Geneva dictates, his lieutenant colonel responded only: "I am aware of Fishback's concerns."

And when Fishback found himself this year in the same room as Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey at Fort Benning, Ga., he again complained about prisoner abuse. He said Harvey told him that "corrective action was already taken."

At every turn, it seemed, the decorated young West Point graduate and son of a Vietnam War veteran felt that the military had shut him out.

[Solly Mack]

1. That's exactly what they do - shut them out

or make life harder for them...usually both.


My husband informed on some Marines (the Marines were eventually charged) and other soldiers (for GC violations). He was given the "oh yeah, ok - thanks for letting us know - we'll get right on that" dismissive treatment - and then the hazing began.

He was even asked, "are you sure you want to press this issue?" Because his superiors knew what would follow - they knew how the system treated those who informed on other soldiers.

Without the pictures from Abu Ghraib to back up his claims, Darby would have gotten the same treatment.

It's why soldiers having cameras is vitally important. Send them cameras! Not only will the good ones get the proof - the bad ones (and there are plenty of bad ones) will incriminate themselves.

I find the attitude toward soldiers that do tell about abuse/torture is further proof that abuse and torture is widely used, is widely known about, and that it is systemic.

...and that it is covered up whenever possible.

[IdaBriggs]

2. Kicked & Nominated -- in honor of this man's courage and love

of both country, and honor. These are the types of warriors I salute! Yeah, for this American hero!

[TahitiNut]

3. He's a deontologist in a teleological culture.

I'd say his wife's life expectancy has been diminished substantially. I wonder how he ever missed the point that "Duty, Honor, Country" places honor secondary to the duty of kissing ass. Another hero gets fucked.

[MADem]

4. This guy played it EXACTLY RIGHT, fwiw

You do not go outside the chain, and expect to get a fair hearing, unless and until you have exhausted all administrative remedies within the organization. I have a feeling he stayed awake in his discipline administration/personnel administration classes, and most likely has taken some good advice from a JAG along the way. Note how he has put his concerns in WRITING. Once those writings enter that admin zone, and are assigned a tracking number and whatnot, it is hard to make them disappear. Once they hit the press, it is impossible. Of course, I am sure he made plenty of copies, and sent them round to folk for safekeeping--it is what you do when you are up against the behemoth.

His superiors will have to answer for their dereliction, now, though, and that is not a bad thing. He will never make general officer unless there is a major shake-up in the forces and a strong climate change, but he will be able to retire as a bird colonel if he wants to, and watches his back.

Good kid, IMO--we need more like that.