Posted on 04/11/2006 9:48:59 AM PDT by robowombat
Sharia Flogging for Estonian Soldier
From the desk of Martin Helme on Tue, 2006-04-04 17:13
An Estonian soldier on his way home after having served with the coalition forces in Afghanistan, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates and will be flogged. Andrei Korol was accused of being drunk and harassing a local policewoman while he was in transit at Sharjah international airport where they “make your life easy.”
The incident happened on 23 February. There were no witnesses of the alleged harassment. Korol’s comrades say that he was so tired and drunk that most of the time at the airport he was napping. UAE law does not allow locals to drink at all while foreigners can do it only in certain designated areas.
A court sentenced the Estonian sergeant major to a one month jail sentence for drinking and had him choose between either three months in jail or 80 lashes with a whip (which could be fatal). His lawyer says Korol chose flogging. He has already spent more than a month in a local jail.
Estonia has soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The soldiers are there for six months on a voluntary basis. The incident involving Andrei Korol has elicited severe criticism of the Estonian government. Some say Estonia is failing to provide protection to members of its armed forces from a so-called ally. Some are indignant at sharia laws. Others, however, criticise the Estonian army leadership for the lack of discipline among soldiers who are not on duty.
They're gonna learn the hard way.
I can understand a soldier wanting to get drunk after a dry tour of duty, but his chain of command ought to make sure that doesn't happen until he's out of the Middle East.
I think you know the proper person to contact for a ping list on this topic?
Amnesty Communinternational must be in a real dilemma on this one.
"UAE law does not allow locals to drink at all while foreigners can do it only in certain designated areas."
I was ported in the UAE after Desert Storm and we used to party at the local British clubs, the "Morality Police" DO NOT SCREW AROUND!
I (and a few of my buddies) almost ended up where the SgtMaj did, had it not been for a nice Pakistani taxi driver. Other than that, we had a great time. (There is still, nothing like partying in the good ol' USA)
Semper Fidelis
You see what happens when you don't let Islamofacist's take control of you ports???? They flog an Estonian!
Seriously, that messed up. If Estonian had special forces I'd send them in to get that guy out.
But I thought the Administration said that the UAE was enlightened and progressive. This report must be wrong. This can't be happening. I'm going to call Karl Rove so he can get this obvious mistake corrected at once.
A word to the wise, always make sure you're familiar with the cultural standards and practices of a foreign culture before you travel to a foreign land.
I know just how this guy must feel based on when I was an exchange student in highschool and traveled to Russia. I really wish I had taken the time to find out about the Russian people's strong prohibition against public nudity.
Evidently they have no "Status of Forces" agreement between them. If so, the soldier could have been punished by his own country.
And I thought other conservatives are big on national sovereignty. /knee-jerk mode
What a stupid choice. I'd take the 3 months.
"either three months in jail or 80 lashes with a whip (which could be fatal)."
Remember, this analysis is from the same people who call Guantanemo a place of torture. Whoever does the wipping has to do it while holding the quran under his arm. (At least for Muslims.) It wont be nice and will probably leave scars, but why spend any more time there?
So much for the enlightened progressivism of our UAE allies.
He would die in prison.
The Estonian is not a Muslim, he's a dhimmi, and, in all likelihood, the wielder of the whip will be allowed to swing his full arm. And he'll probably enjoy it, too.
WTF are you talking about?
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