With two of three Navy SEALs scheduled to be arraigned today in Norfolk, Va. because a key terrorist claimed he received a bloody lip when the trio secretly captured him in Iraq three months ago, a number of comments were made by readers of the Nov. 30 Grumpy Editor posting.
Branded one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq, Ahmed Hashim Abed is the alleged mastermind behind the 2004 killing, mutilation, burning and public display of four American security guards employed by Blackwater USA. Insurgents dragged the bodies through the streets of Fallujah before hanging two of them from a bridge.
Navy brass decided to go after the SEALs with criminal action and set today --- Pearl Harbor Day --- for arraignments in military court.
Among reactions:
• This is absurd. We expect that a guy who committed the acts of violence of which this snake is accused could be coaxed into surrendering with promises of fudge cookies? With higher ups such as those who are behind this travesty, is it any wonder our military hasn't been able to end this war in the decisive manner of which they are capable? I thought we'd learn from Viet Nam to leave politics out of war.
• OK, so I guess they were supposed to say, "Pretty please with sugar on top, won't you give yourself up?"
• The way it should have gone, based on the terrorism actions and the times, they should have just shot him. Nobody would have complained then, as it would have been the typical "was killed in battle."
• It’s official. The lunatics are running the asylum.
• "Hello sir. We know it is 3 a.m. are we disturbing you? We are SEALs and have been sent to take you to prison. Is this a convenient time for you? Can I get you some clothes? Please be careful sliding down our rope. We don't want you falling and getting injured now, do we?" Does anyone believe this guy went along peaceably? All he got was a split lip? Political correctness = social terrorism.
• Pretty soon the soldiers won't be able to fire their weapons either, unless they get permission first. Uh...the bullets might hurt someone.
• This is how liberals wage war. Our troops have to Mirandize enemy combatants and are more at risk of being prosecuted than the people they capture. Can you imagine the outcome of WWII if we'd had to stick to such insane rules of engagement? This is why liberals cannot be trusted with our national defense.
• Talk about a waste of taxpayer money. A bloody lip? This is just ridiculous. Now our military has to worry about some bad guy resisting and getting a bloody lip? What's next? Courts-martial for flying planes over a target or shooting the guy who is shooting at you?
• If they indeed did wrong and failed to follow military rules on how to treat detainees, then they need to be punished. Their job was to capture and detain this man, not to assault him and dole out their own form of vigilante justice. What is the point of having a justice system if we can just give out our own street justice as we see fit.
Meanwhile, some newspaper editorial pages have focused on the SEALs. An example:
After recapping the incident, the Las Vegas Review-Journal yesterday said, “This is nonsense,” referring to the pending Navy action. “President Obama should publicly send the court-martial board a firm signal of support for the men who brought in Ahmed Hashim Abed.”
And in Congress, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R., Calif.) has circulated a letter asking Defense Secretary Robert Gates to intervene in the case, which Hunter calls an overreaction by military leaders.
Amid the swirl, a Friday-released Navy fact sheet reminded that the three SEALs are presumed innocent until proven guilty.