Gen.: G.I.s who rip leaders will pay

New York Daily News ^ | 7/17/03 | HELEN KENNEDY

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON - The military will punish demoralized soldiers in Iraq who are bluntly venting their frustration to reporters, the Pentagon said yesterday.

"None of us that wear this uniform are free to say anything disparaging about the secretary of defense or the President of the United States," said Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command. "We're not free to do that. It's our professional code. Whatever action may be taken, whether it's a verbal reprimand or something more stringent, is up the commanders on the scene."

This week's abrupt cancellation of homecoming plans for the Army's 3rd Infantry Division unleashed a remarkable and widespread flood of fury from troops who are hot, homesick and hunted by guerrillas.

"If Donald Rumsfeld was here, I'd ask him for his resignation," Spec. Clinton Deitz of the 3rd Infantry's 2nd Brigade told ABC News.

"I've got my own 'Most Wanted' list," said a 2nd Brigade sergeant. "The aces in my deck are Paul Bremer, Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush and Paul Wolfowitz."

Many soldiers are openly asking why they are in a country that wants them out. They complain that their commanders have gone home. Frustration with the powers in Washington is a main theme.

"I can guarantee you they've never stood out in a checkpoint in the heat of the day, day after day, full battle rattle, always wondering if today's the day somebody's going to shoot me. Do they even care?" one soldier told a Knight Ridder reporter.

The 2nd Brigade, in the Persian Gulf since September, had been told it would be home by May, then July, then August. When the announcement came that the deployment was being extended until at least September and maybe beyond, "you could hear a pin drop," said Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright of the 64th Armored Regiment.

The Code of Military Justice bars officers from using "contemptuous words" against civilian or military leaders. Punishment is rarely stringent, said military law expert Eugene Fidell.

"People always grumble in the trenches," he said. "Typically, administrations are extremely well advised not to throw gasoline on the fire by creating martyrs."

The White House took no public offense at the soldiers' gripes. "We know that they are making significant sacrifices," said spokesman Scott McClellan. "We are going to do everything we can to support them and get them home as soon as we can."

Originally published on July 17, 2003

[boxerblues]

My son's with the 101st also, November was not even mentioned to his unit! It looks like the ENG's are in for the long haul

[TomB]

Wow, wow, wow. I can't believe I'm reading this.

Face it, there are malcontents in EVERY group. How many guys did the media have to interview in order to find a couple to say this?

[ArneFufkin]

I say ship the NCOs and the Specialist involved back stateside for dishonorable discharge and transfer the Pfcs to begin another tour in the crappiest, hottest and dirtiest job possible. Make them do runway paving work out at the Western airfields.

[Cacophonous]

I find the inclusion of Wolfowitz in the one soldier's deck a little curious. Wolfowitz is a bit "behind the scenes" and obscure for the average soldier to lay any blame at his feet.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Yeah, but they were all told very clearly that they are in no way allowed to criticize the leadership or the military-- especially to the press.

[boxerblues]

lol I never made the connection "Spec Clinton"...

[neb52]

I wonder what the WWII vets have to say about this. Especially the guys that were in North Africa , Italy and Normandy like my Grand-Uncle. I understand wanting to get home back to their families, but I thought the Military discourage the active duty soldiers from getting married. At least that is what my Mother told me. She married my Dad and had both my older brothers while he was serving in the Navy during Vietnam. Some of the guys I work with told me that most military guys get married because they are lonely and want somebody waiting for them when they come back from deployment.

[ArneFufkin]

Funny, that was the one quote that was was not attributed by full name.

[Cacophonous]

Officers are prohibited. I don't know if there are formal "rules' for enlisted and non-coms. Used to be, peer pressure would keep them inline, and umm...corrective action...delivered by the unit (and maybe the Specialist will wind up having bruises and aches and pains he would rather not explain from the rest of the soldiers in his unit).

[Cacophonous]

Of course, spouses would not be along during a deployment to a war zone (Korea is still an unaccompanied tour in the Army), but Quality of Life on stateside posts includes providing for family members.

[ArneFufkin]

These guys must have sat down before a group of reporters, because a different guy from ABCNews.com filed the same story, with the same named individuals making the same quoted comments. This wasn't some impromptu gripe session, this was a media event.

[boxerblues]

On the thread from yesterday, this has been debated, some units were given clear instructions others were not but to use you better judgement. We were given a friendly warning from the 101st FRG not to talk to the media.

[boxerblues]

makes you wonder how many troops they actually talked to before settling on these 6, to get the angle they wanted

[mystery-ak]

Exactly...this was hugely orchestrated...they even tracked down and interviewed their wives at Fort Stewart.

[ArneFufkin]

McGavin, I will guarantee that if any of these soldiers are reprimanded, disciplined or sanctioned the media will jump all over it as some kind of "whistleblower" retribution scandal. These contemptable vermins in the media are absolutely without shame, virtue and honor.

I noted, as well, that two different reporters identified the unnamed source of the "Deck of Cards" quote in the same exact manner. So, this guy was off the record, yet his despicable insubordination was prominently included, with at least two different reporters.

This thing stinks.

[MinuteGal]

Our military overseas have opportunities to view TV like we do, including the treasonous International CNN. Many of the malcontents are undoubtedly and aggresively taking their cue from the constant drumbeat of anti-war, anti-administration propaganda spewing from our media, the mouths of rabid Dem politicians and street demonstrators.

There's no doubt our enemy is within.

To set an example to their fellow units, some of these undisciplined military agitators should be put on full parade ground, their buttons yanked off and smacked upside the face with a glove.

Leni

[GailA]

Our guys in WWII were there for 3-4 years, in hell holes like Burma, Okinawa, Wake, Corregidor, Midway.

[astounded]

IMHO, this performance, no doubt put together and staged by the media, will give comfort and aid to the muslim enemies. I have a very bad feeling about this - if the US cannot depend on her volunteer grunts, we will lose in the end.

I also think Americans should realize this is the democrat-dominated media, in concert with the Democratic Party of the US, implementing their divide-and-conquer strategy in order to win back the White House and Congress. It is immoral, wrong, and treasonous. I'm sure most Americans never heard about the 101st Airborne guys who re-upped in Iraq??? That shows a different face, doesn't it?

While I am sure that the "news media" set these guys up, I also think these public "gripers" should be dealt with, quickly, quietly, and harshly - give them their wish and bring them home to the stockade and discharge from the US Army. This situation puts all the other troops in-country in greater danger than before, as well as providing a possible chink in the US armor that will be exploited by the muslims.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Before he left Ft Campbell back in March, they were told they could be deployed for up to a year.

That's the key thing. I doubt that anyone in authority made any hard and fast promises about when they would be back.

Walt

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

This is an old damn story. Haven't any of you heard of the "Wanna-Go-Home" Riots in the late 1940s?