Navy SEAL Acquitted of Abusing Iraqi....

[lesofprimus]

Finally, people are getting over the whole Abu Ghraib bullshiit and looking at reality...........

As a side note, i know a couple of the individuals that this article talks about... There was alot of information that never made it into the newspapers guys.......

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A Navy SEAL who was acquitted of beating an Iraqi prisoner who later died said he wants to return to duty in the elite unit.

Jurors deliberated about three hours before finding Lt. Andrew K. Ledford not guilty of all charges Friday. The 32-year-old SEAL had faced up to 11 years in military prison if he had been convicted of assault, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer and making false statements.

Ledford, who had stood at attention for the verdict's reading, burst into a huge smile and embraced his attorney upon hearing he was acquitted. He later brushed away tears and shook hands with the prosecutors.

"I think that's what makes this country great is that there is a system in place and it works," he said outside court.

Through his attorney, Ledford said he plans to continue serving as a SEAL. He has been selected for the rank of lieutenant commander, a promotion that was placed on hold pending the outcome of his court martial.

Navy prosecutors left the courtroom without commenting.

"I hope that someone receives a message from this outcome," Ledford's civilian attorney, Frank Spinner, told reporters. "That we have valiant warriors, brave SEALs, who put their lives on the line and they're human."

Prosecutors said that Ledford failed as a leader on a November 2003 mission after he and his men captured Manadel al-Jamadi, a suspect in the bombing of Red Cross offices in Baghdad that killed 12.

During a brief stop at an Army base, members of Ledford's SEAL platoon testified that they punched, kicked and struck al-Jamadi with muzzles of their rifles. Instead of ordering his men to halt the beating, Ledford accepted a subordinate's offer to "give this turd a knock" and punched the bound prisoner in the arm, Navy prosecutor Lt. Chad Olcott said.

No witness who appeared during the five-day court martial testified that they saw Ledford strike al-Jamadi. The only evidence of the punch came in Ledford's own sworn statement last year to Navy criminal investigators. On the witness stand Thursday, Ledford denied punching the detainee.

Eight SEALs and one sailor who served under Ledford have received administrative punishments for abusing al-Jamadi and other detainees.

Al-Jamadi died shortly after the SEALs turned him over to the CIA while he was being interrogated in Abu Ghraib prison. Prosecutors presented no evidence linking Ledford to the detainee's death. Spinner said the CIA should fully disclose its role in the case.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show al-Jamadi died while suspended by his wrists, which were handcuffed behind his back.

The CIA has forwarded its investigation to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. No charges have been filed against anyone at the CIA.

Ledford also had posed for a picture hoisting a can of Red Bull energy drink as he and his men gathered around al-Jamadi in the back of a Humvee, and he testified that he regretted having done so.

"This case represents nothing more than prosecutorial excess as a result of the pictures and abuses that occurred at Abu Ghraib," Spinner told the jury during his closing argument.

[Nonskimmer]

[FLYBOYJ]

Spooks tend to piss me off these days, it seems they have no accountability. I know there are things that need to be done covertly, but when good soldiers and sailors are taking the fall for these guys, well this sh*t got to stop!

[P38 Pilot]

Im glad the Iraqi Prisoner died! I mean for god's sake they are be-heading our soldiers and even civilians over there!

[lesofprimus]

I really dont think its Iraqi civilians beheading people.... Most likely they are Syrian or Saudi........

[P38 Pilot]

When i meant civilians, i meant American maybe even British Civilians.(oops )

[trackend]

Well he gets my seal of approval (sorry les)
Stuff the *****rs they saw civvies heads off or at least approve of these actions, get their arsehole friends on the Arab news network to broadcast it, then start bleating about unfair treatment and pictures being taken I think in general they are *****ng lucky it was the US I wonder how the KGB would have treated these inmates.

[evangilder]

True Lee. The KGB or the Mossad. They'd be dead, but the death would be painful and drawn out, I am sure.

[P38 Pilot]

I have always wanted to see an Iraqi Terrorist being tortured! They deserve it for their sick, barbaric ways!

[marconi]

Originally Posted by evangilder

True Lee. The KGB or the Mossad. They'd be dead, but the death would be painful and drawn out, I am sure.

I've seen a story on TV about Soviet citisens captured by some arabic terroists in 1980's.KGB found relatives of those terrrorists and warned that they would cut their heads off if something would happen to hostages.Problem was solved.I've seen this programm long time ago and there may be some mistakes yet general idea must be clear.

[P38 Pilot]

cool! Thats what im talking about! We need to be able to get brutal with these captured rats in out cage. Need to give them a taste of their own medicine but our left-winged media try to make the guards look evil.

[Blackwatch]

now what a minute guys, the Brits and Amercian troops operate under a code...IN the American military it's called "the rules of land and sea warfare", I don't know what it's called in the British military or Polish for that matter, although I know they have the same thing....it is actually much more restrictive that the Geneva Conventions (which was initially designed to designate military from civilian terrorists). A trooper, sailor, or airman can be sent to prison for a very long time for a illegel shooting...

Most countries operate their militaries the same way....

A. They don't want their captured troops needlessly killed or harmed.
B. Captured troops are a great intelligence source.

the only countries that insist the western powers observe the Geneva Conventions, but not apply them to themselves, are the communist countries and most of the middle east ones....Communist countries do not take enlisted prisonors, except those from known top-secret units..ie, Signals, Special Forces or the British SAS, for example...

otherwise they keep the officers and shoot the enlisted....

[Erich]

just heard the US liberal media is going to make some chosen displays at Abu again very shortly for some more film footage. really think these bozos want to close this place down and set the mid-east pussies free so they can go kill some more............

I really wonder if most of the media has lost some serious brain cells along their trip of life

[evangilder]

Yep, that is for sure, Erich. They are quickly becoming an enemy propaganda tool.

Blackwatch, you are right. We have to hold to a higher standard if we want to claim the moral high ground. The problem is that the soldiers that are doing these things are ordered by other agencies to "soften them up" for interrogation. Once someone gets caught, they let the soldier fry while they go Scott free.

[lesofprimus]

Ive seen some "things", as Im sure erich and evan have, that certain individuals would have gone to prison for...

But these "things" saved American and Coalition troops' lives, and in the process also removed many terrorists and insurgents from the face of the earth...

Ive said this before, and Ill say it again... If cutting off 2 fingers from some Mogadishu morons' hands saves Coalition lives, chop em off....

Is it worth 3 years in Leavenworth, breaking small rocks into little rocks, if u save 30 Marines' lives, and in the process, kill 18 Insurgents????

Ur Goddamn right its worth it....