One Door Closes and Another Opens
LTC Allen B. West will get what amounts to a slap on the wrist for doing the right thing in the wrong manner. I call this justice.
He received a non-judicial punishment for his trouble, which is, granted, the kiss of death for the career of a commissioned officer in our Armed forces, but I think it is a justifiable and a compassionate sentence. He will also be allowed to retire with full benefits.
LTC West understood that when you have two bad choices, you pick the one with which you can sleep at night. This is something that his chain of command apparently understood as well. Allowing the colonel to walk away scot-free was not an option, not for a force that values good order and discipline among its members. However, the men and women in his chain also knew that to punish LTC West any further would, ironically, undermine the good order and discipline that is so highly valued. If you can’t count on your commander, who can you count on?
LTC West’s commanders took the least bad choice as well and I congratulate them.
No doubt, the colonel has a bright future ahead of him.
(SIDENOTE: One wonders where Jesse Jackson and the NAACP were when the time came to speak out for LTC West--a black man. Maybe they were too busy defending the “legacy” of Nathaniel Jones, who wasn’t fit to shine the colonel’s boots.)
(Thanks to The Spoons Experience, who communicates with LTC West’s legal counsel)
Having grew up in Jackson's Rainbow Coalition town, I would tell you that was no profit in helping West for Jackson.
But also, West might have thought twice about pissing off the chain of command who don't really give a rat's ass about Jackson.
BTW, West was fined $5000, too.
Posted by: Blackfive | December 13, 2003 at 06:52 PM
I was aware of the $5000 fine. Punishment, you know.
I heard on the news that some took up donations and got him back that 5K. Pretty cool.
Posted by: baldilocks | December 13, 2003 at 07:11 PM
There's an old expression that applies here: falling on your sword. You guys know what I mean, and Lt Col West knew he was doing it. But Baldilocks, you are right on as usual: he will be able to sleep at night.
The man is an all-American hero. Justice will be served when he gets a book deal, or if a movie is made. I hope it happens, and to his satisfaction.
Posted by: Greyhawk | December 13, 2003 at 07:16 PM
Well said Baldilocks. LTC West did indeed make a conscious decision to lead and let the chips fall and let the chips fall where they may. I'm glad the military justice system worked and justice was metered out appropriately.
Posted by: Sgt Hook | December 13, 2003 at 09:56 PM
I agree that the level of punishment--essentially, one month's pay--is appropriate for the offense.
I'd say he did the wrong thing but with the right intention. We simply don't torture our prisoner's; we teach that to 18-year-old cadets. It's not simply being moralistic but also practical. One reason our enemies are all too happy to surrender to us is that they know they're likely to be treated much better by their captors than by their own leadership. That's a reputation that saves American lives.
Posted by: James Joyner | December 15, 2003 at 10:21 AM
LTC Allen B. West was treated shamefully and with contempt by the army and the white house. When will we learn that war is not polite society. It disgusts me in the extreme to see the way our heros are castigated and castrated for "getting the job done." Instead of taking punitive action against this man, we should be praising him for demonstrating the courage to win. He saved lives!! That is the bottom line and should be left there.
Posted by: Paul | December 16, 2003 at 11:12 AM
I agree completely, James.
Except, of course, that I don't agree that what LTC West did was "torture". Against our own rules, yes, and thus reasonably punished. But torture? No. Not by any reasonable use of the term, at least.
(Note also that the level of "torture" involved in shooting a gun near someone while not even pointed at them is very unlikely to reduce an enemy's desire to surrender, since they still know that US troops aren't going to actually-torture or kill them.)
Posted by: Sigivald | December 16, 2003 at 11:35 AM
Well let us hope everything goes well for him. He is definitely a better man than Gen. Clark *spit*....
Posted by: alfredo stroessner | December 17, 2003 at 11:12 AM