Posted on 12/01/2004 1:52:45 PM PST by robowombat
LTC West did lots of things wrong and he knew it. The primary problem that I had with LTC West is that all of his actions were clearly interfering with his CG, who was deeply engaged in a mission that was critical to the national security of the United States. West is lucky that his media attention (to West's CGs distraction [and West's Senior Rater]) did not stop the capture of Saddam!
Atkinson is an intelligent man who carries a deep seated rage within him for things that happened to the Naval Aviator community , himself included, during the Clinton era. He truly loathes political feminsim and tends to see a feminist succubus continuosly lurking in the shadows. This perception colors his entire world view. Unfortunately the sky is always about to fall in his world.
Are you saying that someone around here is pudendally challenged?
Very super article!! I loved it---I had brought up Col. West's case (I had forgotten his name, much to my shame) when we were all posting regarding the Marine in Fallujah.
I think the above article should be required reading for President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld.
I am a woman and I am all for any "woman bashing" that some may characterize the article to have in it. I have never been a member of NOW and never would be.
Thanks for posting this!!!
Perhaps your race baiting would be better served on DU.
I realize that you dislike history that makes your argument look silly. Tough.
BTW, if West had been an officer who acted this way in WW2, he still would've been canned--because he punished his troops for the same behavior he sought to get a get-out-of-jail-free card for.
Can you explain what you mean about Col. West punishing his men for the same thing? Did they shoot away from an Iraqi to get info, or what?
Wow, this is quite an interesting read, but it is much too lengthy for quick consumption. This article touches on a number of issues that truly trouble me, so I'll review it again later for more deserving commentary.
They were violating standing orders for handling prisoners (as he was), apparently in roughly analogous fashion. The information about these incidents came up as the result of a "command climate investigation," which the Army does only when there are serious worries about a commanding officer's performance and conduct. The Army does not do these investigations for grins & giggles.
That's too bad. I'm a '84 Boat School grad, and there's a lot of things some of us aren't happy about. But the Chicken Little mentality of pointing to every incident as the end of civilization just destroys one's credibility.
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