Say goodbye and good riddance to 2005

[struggle4progress]

By Robyn Blumner
Tribune Media Services

<snip> For civil liberties heroism, the runaway Freeby award winner is Army Capt. Ian Fishback.

The West Point graduate spent 17 months trying to get someone within the Army hierarchy to take his concerns about detainee abuse seriously. Finding no one too interested, Fishback and two anonymous sergeants went to a human rights organization to describe the regular beatings and other mistreatment Iraqi prisoners suffered at Camp Mercury, a forward operating base near Fallujah. Fishback also contacted members of Congress, fully understanding that such actions could, and probably would, jeopardize his career.

The publicity finally ignited a fire under military investigators. But, surprise, surprise, as Fishback told The New York Times, the investigators questioning him were more focused on getting him to disclose the identity of his two fellow whistleblowers than on the substantive allegations. <snip>

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_3366279