Allen B. West

[Shake n Bake]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031028-113335-6042r.htm



An Army officer, LTCOL Allen B. West, is facing criminal charges filed by the U.S. Army. He is facing up to eight years in prison and a dishonorable discharge.

While interrogating an Iraqi prisoner, he used psychological coercion to get the Iraqi to talk. He fired his service pistol away from the prisoner, at which point, the former Iraqi police officer confessed that a sniper attack was planned on several of the Colonel's men at a certain time. This information allowed the 4th Infantry to foil the plot and avoid the snipers.

The Iraqi prisoner mentioned above was working for the new Iraqi police force, but was a known former Baath Party member who swore that he had been forced into the Party. He was arrested because an informant identified him as participating in several of the attacks in Tikrit after the war

[XASA]

Happened all the time in Vietnam. When your troops lives are on the line, Geneva Convention goes out the window. As a colonel, though, he should have known better than to do it himself. You grab a senior NCO, tell him what you want, let him take the prisoner out behind a tent, and let him put pressure on the prisoner. This way you have plausible denial and at the same time can help cover up for the sergeant if the sh** hits the fan. Too bad he's going to be drummed out

[Argyll]

More to the point who "ratted" on him?

[XASA]

Argyll,

The colonel reported the incident himself to his superior. No action was taken until an Army wide review was done and he was charged with "aggravated assault". BTW, the prisoner gave him enough information to thwart a sniper attack.

[Argyll]

Don't know whether to applaud his honesty or stupidity!! :bash:

[Seoulstriker]

i don't like the idea of the court martial, but if this case was featured on "Jag", I'm sure that the dude would be able to get the Lt. Col. off with a dishonerable discharge.

it's good that the technique he used actually worked, but it violates SOP. :|

[martinexsquaddie]

while not a big fan of torture seems a bit harsh to kick the guy out he did save his blokes and the prisoner was'nt actually hurt which probably suprised the hell out of the guy being a Baathist he probably knew more about torture than anybody on this board would want to