In recent years, I’ve published too many posts about members of the Armed Forces facing undeserved charges:
- First, it was the so-called “Haditha Marines” who faced trumped-up charges, thanks largely to idiots like Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) declaring them guilty before a mainstream media eager to paint them in a bad light.
- Next, it was Army Ranger 1st Lt. Michael Behenna who was wrongly convicted of executing an Iraqi detainee, Ali Mansur, on May 16, 2008, and is now serving a 20-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
- Now, I’m following the case of three Navy SEALs facing assault charges related to their capture of Ahmed Hashim Abed. Who is Abed? He’s the alleged planner of the March 2004 ambush, killing and mutilation of four Blackwater contractors in Fallujah, Iraq. The SEALS gave this enemy combatant piece of dirt a fat lip while apprehending him.
As my first investigative reporting effort related to the SEALs’ case, I offer six important facts about the case you’re likely not to read about in the mainstream media supplied to me by a source whom I cannot name inside the Pentagon:
1) The charges or accusations against the three Navy SEALs were not made from within the SEAL community. Sources tell me they came from someone within the Navy’s Master-at-Arm community.
2) The SEALs were presented with the option of going to Captain’s Mast for these charges but declined this form of non-judicial punishment and opted for court-martial instead. Why? Because they did not want to be judged by those outside of the SEAL community and believed the court-martial route would assure them the representation necessary to prove their innocence.
3) At no time did anyone within the Naval Special Warfare community have any control over these accusations or events other than providing advice or guidance to the accused SEALs.
4) The integrity of the chain of custody of the prisoner is at question.
5) There are extenuating circumstances that indicate there is questionable evidence in some of the accusations made.
6) Evidence will come out in a court-martial that might not have come out in a Captain’s Mast in favor of the accused SEALs.
* * *
Cross-posted at BigGovernment.com.
UPDATE 12/08/2009 at 3:17 p.m. Central: A Navy SEAL friend of mine advised me of a fund set up to help defray legal expenses of these American heroes. According to this site, You can deposit your donation via PayPal or “directly into the Navy SEALs Fund account by visiting one of the Chase Branches closest to you and providing the Account Name: ‘Navy SEALs Fund’ or Account Number: 834325318.”
15 responses so far ↓
1 Big Government » Blog Archive » Six Important Facts About the Assault Charges Three Navy SEALs Face for Doing Their Jobs // Dec 2, 2009 at 3:28 pm
[...] Cross-posted at BobMcCarty.com [...]
2 Ran / Si Vis Pacem // Dec 2, 2009 at 5:33 pm
BM: Thanks for this post. Linked it, as a head’s up to my readers.
Cheers!
3 GTB // Dec 2, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Keep up the fight, Bob. Irrespective of the clamor, keep in mind there is a natural antipathy if not jealousy on the part of the Navy Master-at-Arms force – which gets no headlines – and the elite Seals who are world-renowend as the best warriors anywhere. I know whereof I speak; the little guys can’t handle the glory given to the real thing.
4 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 2, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Will do. Thanks!
5 Larry Riggs // Dec 3, 2009 at 9:48 am
Dec.3, 2009
Bob
Please stay on the case of the three navy seals that captured ABED.Navy seal McCabe should be awarded a medal!!Not court martialed.His mother is a dear friend of ours and we’ve known Matthew McCabe from day he was born.This is such a travesty.
6 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 3, 2009 at 9:51 am
I will. Thanks!
7 CaptainVictory // Dec 3, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Bob — Has the Article 32 investigation taken place yet? Cheers.
8 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 3, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Captain V — There’s a hearing taking place for at least one of the SEALs Dec. 7 at Norfolk. Contact these folks for details.
9 CaptainVictory // Dec 3, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Yeah, depending how the Article 32 goes, the charges could go away. It happens. Cross your fingers.
PS — If dropped the “Mc” from your name, you’d be my dad.
10 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 3, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Can’t resist this: “Who’s yo mama?”
11 CaptainVictory // Dec 3, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Nicely done. I also see you’re a former USAF officer. Me too; I was a JAG from 1994-98. (Every time I use the restroom, I still think “Aim High.”)
12 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 3, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Funny As a PAO, I worked with JAG folks a lot. Good times!
13 Six Important Facts About the Assault Charges Three Navy SEALs Face for Doing Their Jobs | Navy SEALs Blog by USNavySEALs.com // Dec 4, 2009 at 1:14 am
[...] with permission from Bob McCarty Writes. Tags: navy SEALs assault, navy seals assault truth, navy seals case, navy seals charged with [...]
14 hotoffthepress2 // Dec 4, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Beverly at http://theBandofMothers.com asked me to post this:
Michael Behenna is a Hero who killed a terrorist! If he was serving during World War II, he would have come home to a ticker tape parade and medals for killing the enemy. Now, in this politically correct war we are fighting, the Army has turned their back on this Hero and sentenced him to 20 years in prison! God help our military and shame on the Army! Please write the Secretary of the Army and ask him to afford Michael the inherent right to defend himself against a known terrorist, and let this brave young man go home to his family.
The Honorable John McHugh
Secretary of the United States Army
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1400
Thank You.
With A Mother’s Heart,
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
http://www.thebandofmothers.com
15 Citizen // Dec 5, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Political correctness is out of control.
An Army psychiatrist who sees no patients and makes treasonous statements in class gets a promotion, because we don’t want to offend the Muslims.
But we throw some SEALs (who unlike Hasan, aren’t scared of deployment) to the wolves because they punched some terrorist.
There is already a fund drive started by former SEALs to help these commandos financially. Their website:
http://www.maritimetacticalsecurity.com
.
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