THE WHEELS OF MILITARY JUSTICE
Lots of action on TV last night over the beginning of the first courts martial of one of the MP's accused of POW abuse. Yes, I said POW. The Pentagon made the decision long ago that prisoners in Iraq qualified under the Geneva Convention.
While everyone seems to yelling about the fact that only SSG and below soldiers are charged so far, I wouldn't place any bets just yet. The Pentagon and the President probably know that convicting only junior grade enlisted and NCO's won't fly with the American public (read voters) or with the world in general. Therefore, I predict some commissioned officers will be charged. Their are two important questions that will arise from this. How high up the chain of command will they be, and what will be the punishment if convicted.
If they don't come from a position in the chain of command above the MP Brigade and the MI Brigade, I'll be very suspicious. As I've said before, someone above those two organizations had to coordinate the effort.
Needless to say if the punishment comes under that long standing military rule of different spanks for different ranks, it will be a sham.
One other interesting developments is that it appears that some of the accused have hired civilian lawyers. Smart move on their part. Remember when the SF Group Commander and his staff were charged with murder during Vietnam? One little country lawyer from North Carolina made that house of cards collapse. He really spoiled the Army's day on that one. They couldn't get away with the old "bring the guilty folks in" line at the beginning of the courts martial.
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