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Colonel West...you've got my back any time
Self | 6 Nov 2003 | Jeff Head

Posted on 11/06/2003 4:44:20 AM PST by Jeff Head

The following is Lt. Col. Allen B. West's own candid comment regarding the situation he faced in Iraq, as reported by the Washington Dispatch on November 5, 2003:

"I have never denied what happened and have always been brutally honest," said Col. West. "I accept responsibility for the episode, but my intent was to scare this individual and keep my soldiers out of a potential ambush. There were no further attacks from that town. We ... apprehended two other conspirators (a third fled town) and found out one of the conspirators was the father of a man we had detained for his Saddam Fedeyeen affiliation. "
Colonel West takes personal responsibility for his actions. He makes no bones about it, he threatened this Iraqi spy bodliy harm to get information from him. And that is what he was, a spy working within the Iraqi Police Force that has been established and supported by the coalition authority. As a spy, under the so-called rules of war, I believe he could have shot the man. Perhaps that is an angle that should be explored.

In either case, Colonel West's actions no doubt saved the lives of Americans...the lives he is principally responsible for...and that was his motivation.

He understood that while he may have violated the rules (and he admits to and takes responsibility for this as well)...he also understood he was going to do what had to be done, in a war zone, to save the lives of the men under his command.

The rules were written by men and women sitting in safe seats far away from combat and the brutal reality of the moment. For the most part they are good rules and should not be violated. But there are times when the SHTF that you have to do what you must to save the lives of those you are responsible for, American lives, and accomplish the mission. Colonel West knew his greater responsibility and he performed it, regardless of personal cost. The trait of a true leader in my book.

President Truman incinerated tens of thousands of Japanese to save hundreds of thousands of Americans...and in so doing he also saved millions of Japanese. In today's world and PC nomenclature this might be considered a war crime...a violation of the "rules". But back then it was heralded by the soldiers as a God-send...and by Americans back home as what had to be done to end the war. People who had seen for themsleves the cold reality of four years of World War.

That generation is dying out and it seems we have forgottent their experiences and the lessons.

The reality is, that by scaring this man in the fashion he did...West not only saved American lives...he saved the lives of Iraqis as well.

God bless you Colonel West...you've got my back any time!

Charlie Mike.

Jeff


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Free Republic; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: allenwest; colonelwest; combat; iraqifreedom; patriotism; valor; warzone; westforcongress; wildwest
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My thoughts on the Colonel West affair.
1 posted on 11/06/2003 4:44:21 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: joanie-f; Dukie; Squantos; JohnHuang2; k.trujillo; Travis McGee; Critter; Lurker; harpseal; ...
FYI, my own thoughts on the developing situation with Lt. Colonel West.
2 posted on 11/06/2003 4:45:42 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Bob J
Here's the article I mentioned to you.
3 posted on 11/06/2003 4:48:44 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: JohnHuang2
Mega-Ping?

Colonel West deserves all the condieration and attention we can muster for him. I would pray to God that such a man would lead my own sons in war.

4 posted on 11/06/2003 4:49:48 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Jeff Head
Pentagon desk jockeys still running amok.

West did what was needed. No more, no less.

It's typical Clinton era army BS carrying over.
5 posted on 11/06/2003 4:50:02 AM PST by Stopislamnow (It will be too late when we're all dead. And the way our government is going, it'll be soon.)
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To: Jeff Head
Bump!
6 posted on 11/06/2003 4:50:42 AM PST by The Mayor (Through prayer, finite man draws upon the power of the infinite God.)
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To: Jeff Head
Great post, keep the issue alive. West did the right thing.
7 posted on 11/06/2003 4:50:59 AM PST by Jacquerie (Democrats soil the institutions they control)
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To: Jeff Head
Big Colonel West bump!
8 posted on 11/06/2003 4:51:56 AM PST by JesseHousman (Execute Mumia Abu-Jamal)
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To: Jeff Head
What can we do to help Colonel West now?
9 posted on 11/06/2003 4:52:04 AM PST by Sender
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To: Jeff Head
Ditto and bump!!!

The man is a good soldier and the kind of officer our troops deserve.
10 posted on 11/06/2003 4:54:17 AM PST by Ronin (Qui docet discit!)
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To: Sender
Good question. I am open to ideas.
11 posted on 11/06/2003 4:54:39 AM PST by Ronin (Qui docet discit!)
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To: Jeff Head
Bump

As I ponder this, I can not help but think to myself how rare good solid O5's and O6's are. After eight years of clinton and I'm sorry to say, the four previous years, I am a bit surprised that there are any "God, Honor, Duty, Country" officers willing to put their men first left above the rank of O3.

Just a thught, more of a private ramble I would suspect, but, bump just the same.

12 posted on 11/06/2003 4:56:33 AM PST by thiscouldbemoreconfusing
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To: Stopislamnow
West did what was needed. No more, no less.

Nailed squarely on the head.

13 posted on 11/06/2003 4:57:01 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Ronin
The man is a good soldier and the kind of officer our troops deserve.

I know he is exactly the type of officer I would want leading my sons. The kind of guy you know your sons would be in good hands with...that all possible would be done to protect them in a war zone or any place else.

14 posted on 11/06/2003 4:58:26 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Jeff Head
"New media" will have Col West's back in this fight.

How many of the hostile old media have included the fact that the man being interrogated was a spy? None that I have heard. The inference is that he was just a villager, and I am sure that most of the anti-Bush (not allowed to call them anti-American) newsfolk are conjuring up the famous photo of the Viet Nam police chief executing his prisoner, and implying that kind of connection to their audiences.

Talk radio, internet and Foxnews will get the truth out.
15 posted on 11/06/2003 4:58:39 AM PST by maica (Leadership matters)
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To: Sender; Ronin
Pray to God in Heaven for Colonel West's welfare. Then make yourself an instrument in God's hands to answer those prayers by doing all of the following:

1) Contact your congressional reps and senators.
2) Ask relatives, friends and neighbors to do the same.
2) Write editorials.
4) Start email chains advocating all of the above.

16 posted on 11/06/2003 5:01:01 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: maica
The man was working in the Iraqi Police Force which has been re-established and supported by the Colaition Authority. He was working there trying to destroy the Coalition...that makes him a spy from my perspective in our book.

No one is talking this up...and they should.

17 posted on 11/06/2003 5:02:59 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Jacquerie
Exactly.
18 posted on 11/06/2003 5:03:21 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: Jacquerie
Exactly.
19 posted on 11/06/2003 5:03:27 AM PST by Jeff Head
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To: The Mayor; JesseHousman
Thanks for the NUMPs.

Get the email chains going, infrom your relatives, freinds and neighbors of Col. West's plight and ask them to contact all of their congressional reps.

20 posted on 11/06/2003 5:04:36 AM PST by Jeff Head
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