Posted on 03/11/2006 5:43:21 PM PST by blam
SAS soldier quits Army in disgust at 'illegal' American tactics in Iraq
By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent
(Filed: 12/03/2006)
An SAS soldier has refused to fight in Iraq and has left the Army over the "illegal" tactics of United States troops and the policies of coalition forces.
After three months in Baghdad, Ben Griffin told his commander that he was no longer prepared to fight alongside American forces.
Ben Griffin told commanders that he thought the Iraq war was illegal
He said he had witnessed "dozens of illegal acts" by US troops, claiming they viewed all Iraqis as "untermenschen" - the Nazi term for races regarded as sub-human.
The decision marks the first time an SAS soldier has refused to go into combat and quit the Army on moral grounds.
It immediately brought to an end Mr Griffin's exemplary, eight-year career in which he also served with the Parachute Regiment, taking part in operations in Northern Ireland, Macedonia and Afghanistan.
But it will also embarrass the Government and have a potentially profound impact on cases of other soldiers who have refused to fight.
On Wednesday, the pre-trial hearing will begin into the court martial of Flt Lt Malcolm Kendall-Smith, a Royal Air Force doctor who has refused to return to Iraq for a third tour of duty on the grounds that the war is illegal. Mr Griffin's allegations came as the Foreign Office minister Kim Howells, visiting Basra yesterday, admitted that Iraq was now "a mess".
Mr Griffin, 28, who spent two years with the SAS, said the American military's "gung-ho and trigger happy mentality" and tactics had completely undermined any chance of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi population. He added that many innocent civilians were arrested in night-time raids and interrogated by American soldiers, imprisoned in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, or handed over to the Iraqi authorities and "most probably" tortured.
Mr Griffin eventually told SAS commanders at Hereford that he could not take part in a war which he regarded as "illegal".
He added that he now believed that the Prime Minister and the Government had repeatedly "lied" over the war's conduct.
"I did not join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy," he said. He expected to be labelled a coward and to face a court martial and imprisonment after making what "the most difficult decision of my life" last March.
Instead, he was discharged with a testimonial describing him as a "balanced, honest, loyal and determined individual who possesses the strength of character to have the courage of his convictions".
Last night Patrick Mercer, the shadow minister for homeland security, said: "Trooper Griffin is a highly experienced soldier. This makes his decision particularly disturbing and his views and opinions must be listened to by the Government."
The MoD declined to comment.
I don't find it odd at all. I have been posting items about SPECOPS and their view of the war for sometime. They are in many cases very unhappy on the current situation.
If the US had stayed out, the probability is high that Germany would have rolled over Russia, and then built the necessary infrastructure to take Britain. At best, the Brits were capable of a delaying action.
Maybe...but you won't be speaking the Queen's English...you'll be speaking arabic, and facing mecca.
book it for later
Enjoy British dhimminitude.
Griffin found his soulmate in our gal, Cindy.
I'm sorry! I do not understand your post "Like unhappy". Like unhappy about what?
Patrick the Pussy.
I could respect the fact he was allowed his own opinion, until he launched into the totally bogus claim that American units "are probably" torturing Iraqi civilians.
That is something I cannot believe, and it only serves to ruin Patrick the Pussy's reputation.
C'mon.
I got it first hand that dozens of US troops were seen jaywalking in downtown Baghdad.
And that many US service men and women were known to have read their Bible's and prayed Christian prayers.
Totally outrageous and illegal in Iraq, dontcha know.
How's that all working for you.
Hey, don't forget to flag this as Anti-American.
I dare say many were what we would consider dubious as special ops can be a very dirty war.
There is no way you can train and really prepare a man to fight a dirty war.
Conventional war you shoot at someone who is trying to kill you, in a lot of cases you don't even see them, they are figures in the dark.
In these sort of wars, civilians are also involved, it involves going into people houses and searching for weapons.I found that very hard, rousing old people out of there beds, old people which society has taught be to respect in normal circumstances. Wrecking a womens kitchen rifling through personal possessions.
Maybe interrogating someone in front of there family looking at children who look back at you with fear mingling with hatred.
It is recognizing these things which makes you still a decent individual as well as a soldier and not some paid up paramilitary thug in a private army which we see in parts of Africa the Middle east and the Balkans during the conflicts
If he can no longer feel that he can take part in any more ops he did the right thing, because when you lose your edge and spend too much time thinking you become a liability to your self and your team.
We are humans not machines and there comes a time when you can no longer carry on with those tasks that sorrowfully need to be done.
He added that many innocent civilians were arrested in night-time raids and interrogated by ..soldiers, imprisoned ... and "most probably" tortured.
Oh the irony!
The new folk hero of the left. Boy, is he gonna get laid alot!
Nope, that would be "Too British".
Now, on a serious note, you know, when you lower yourself to pathetic and childish insults, you are announcing to the whole world that you have lost the argument.
I think that's the case here.......hopefully.
Right now there are some very very unconventional sorts working without a net in those AO's and I suspect this guy stumbled into a pile of their leavings and lost his hooyah. Resulting in your suggested reason for his comments. Who knows why ...fatigue, no confidence in his leadership pandering to polidiots etc etc .....the funk of war per se.
Just my opinion of course....Stay safe
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