Sunday, December 20, 2015

Abuses by Navy Seals 12-20-2015

20, December 2015             Abuses by Navy Seals

According to a report by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), three Navy SEALS dropped heavy stones on detainees chests, stomped on their heads and poured bottles of water in simulated water boarding. One detainee died from his injuries. Four U.S. soldiers working with the SEALs witnessed the abuses and reported the matter to their superior officers.

According to the report the four soldiers recanted their earlier testimony and their names were redacted from the report. However, the soldiers were tracked down and vigorously denied they recanted their testimony which smacks of a cover-up.

Incredulously, the Seals were cleared of any wrong doing and two of SEALSs implicated and their lieutenant have since been promoted despite calls from one of the commanders calling for their dismissal. Retired Rear Admiral Donald Guter, a former judge advocate general of the Navy was highly critical of the cover-up.

Tragically, these gross abuses were not isolated incidents but a systemic problem of unprofessional conduct. SEALs were reported to have tossed grenades and fired at local tribesmen indiscriminately generating a great deal of resentment between ordinary soldiers and the local population, a serious setback for winning hearts and minds with the Afghan people.


Geoffrey Corn, a former military lawyer who was the Army’s senior expert adviser on the law of war, warned that not taking charges seriously damages ethical standards and morale and emboldens the enemy.   

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