Soldier Who Killed Afghan Civilian Says He Felt Threat To His Men

Stars And Stripes ^ | June 23, 2012 | SeekTheTruth

[seekthetruth]

BAMBERG, Germany — A platoon sergeant charged in the shooting death of an Afghan civilian said Friday he believed his platoon was seconds away from a car bomb attack when he fired his weapon.

Sgt. 1st Class Walter Taylor is charged with negligent homicide and dereliction of duty for the shooting death of an Afghan civilian who drove with her family into the middle of a firefight and abruptly exited the car as soldiers neared.

After three days of testimony at an Article 32 hearing as to whether Taylor correctly followed rules of engagement to identify hostile intent before shooting Dr. Aqilah Hikmat, an investigating officer will soon make a recommendation as to the disposition of charges, which could include forwarding to court-martial.

[seekthetruth]

I have always believed lst Lt Michael Behenna took the fall for a failure in leadership decision resulting in the "catch and release" of Ali Mansur. After all, Ali was the head of a huge Sunni tribe in Iraq and and with his brother sitting in court for Lt Behenna's hearing, at the expense of we the taxpayers, we couldn't have Ali's brother going back to Iraq with news that this Brave American Soldier was exonerated!!! No, we couldn't have that because the Mansur tribe wouldn't be happy so we threw Lt Behenna under the bus TO APPEASE THE ENEMY! The leadership that gave orders to return Ali to his tribe are out living their life right now and Lt Behenna is sitting in Leavenworth serving a 15 year sentence.

Now we have another Brave Hero Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor. The link above gives the details on his hearing this past week. I believe Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor is another victim of a failure in leadership:

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/four-seconds-in-afghanistan-was-it-combat-or-a-crime-1.180005

[EEGator]

Gotta love how higher ranking officers have our troops back.
F**king A**holes!

[seekthetruth]

FLORIDA FREEPER PING HERE.

This brave hero is one of our own here in Florida. Please share this thread with all on your email lists!

We must help Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor! He is now becoming ANOTHER victim of our Military Justice system!

[seekthetruth]

FROM Beverly Perlson:

“The lieutenant who should have been coordinating never left his vehicle. Soldiers were talking over one another on their radios. One person declared the black car was not hostile, while someone else claimed to have seen muzzle fire coming from it. No one but the Afghan translator appeared to have seen Hikmat raise her arms, and no one had heard her say anything.
“There was a leadership failure in this incident,” the initial investigation concluded, finding that the lack of organization “set the patrol up for failure.”

So the lieutenant sat in his vehicle and watched while the good brave Warrior, Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor and his men fought through the battle and now, the lieutenant is totally absolved of any responsibility and the good brave Warrior Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor, his face ravaged by an attack he attributes to Afghan retaliation, awaits the decision that may send him to Leavenworth for 3 years!

So now he waits for the military justice system to decide his fate. I don't have much faith in this military justice system. For those of you out there who have faith in the military justice system (yes, this past week I had a Senator's military liaison tell me that he has faith in this system) I suggest to you this military justice system seems to work differently depending on your rank. Bob McCarty makes this point quite well:

SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK:
http://threedaysinaugust.com/?p=2572

SOME GUYS REALLY DO HAVE ALL THE LUCK:
http://bobmccarty.com/2012/06/15/some-guys-really-do-have-all-the-luck/

[Repeal The 17th]

I could relate a long detailed story re my nephew
while he was in ‘the stan’, but I won’t do it here
leave it to say that the higher ups are stuck with
complying with politically defined rules of engagement
that they don’t necessarily agree with but have to follow

[tired&retired]

Agree! I recently stood in a hospital ER with a Staff Sgt. who took 4 bullets, including two to his face. The comradery of the other special forces men to their wounded buddy was closer than I had ever seen, even within a family. Any one of them would have traded places with their buddy.

I stood beside the commander as he leaned forward, pointed his finger right in this young man’s face and said, “I got your backside.” He then went back and started an article 32 on the wounded soldier. I know he only did it to protect his career due to orders from above. But all he did was betray this young soldier and lower the moral of his buddies who are returning to combat.

The rules of engagement under O’Bummer are the worst. I have heard horror story after horror story from soldiers who had their men get court martialed or commit suicide as they are in a no win situation and cannot protect themselves. The competent commanders who had balls retired, or should I say “jumped from the sinking ship of Commandant O’Bummer!” All that are left are the O’Bummer Bu** Kissers.

[seekthetruth]

I do know about the Military Rules of Engagement, and the problems our troops in the field must deal with daily.

There is a way we all can help. That is to bring attention to these cases with our representatives in Congress.

While this Administration’s Catch and Release Policy lets known Islamic Terrorists go free, we have several of our own soldiers in Leavenworth for actions taken on the battle field.

[EEGator]

Yep. They just want to protect their careers, and then they can double dip when they retire.

Now in the military you have sensitivity training, and I’m sure homo training now or soon. I don’t know why anyone would want to join anymore. Politicians and p**sy officers screwed it up.

[toldyou]

Read some of the comments, too:

http://teapartyorg.ning.com/forum/topics/four-seconds-in-afghanistan-was-it-combat-or-a-crime?commentId=4301673%3AComment%3A768530&xg_source=activity

[seekthetruth]

FROM MY FRIEND, Beverly Perlson:

Please call your Congressmen and Senators. All I'm asking for here is that YOU talk about these cases and make some phone calls on behalf of noble men and women who are willing to lay their lives down for you.

I leave you with a comment posted on the story about Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor's hearing this past week:

“Walter Taylor knew exactly what he was doing. He did exactly what he trained me to do in basic training. I have never known a more honorable man than him, he shaped and molded me into the man I am today.
I am an American Soldier.I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.I will always place the mission first.I will never accept defeat.I will never quit.I will never leave a fallen comrade.I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.I am an expert and I am a professional.I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.I am an American Soldier.How can we still believe in this, when we follow this creed we are subject to prosecution and dishonorably discharged. Im ashamed of my government.”

I worry about the hearts and minds of our Warriors and I hope you do too!
Please keep them all in your prayers!

With A Mother's Heart,
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
http://www.thebandofmothers.com
http://www.defendmichael.com
http://www.savethissoldier.com

[man_in_tx]

Well put! Has anyone else besides me connected the dots between this kind of cowardly leadership on the part of our highest-ranking (DoD) civilian and military officials with regard to the treatment of our troops in harm’s way and recent reports of the horribly-high suicide rate among our US Army troops (appoximately one a day, currently)?

If you cannot trust your own leaders to have your back in a combat situation in which your hands are ALREADY tied with overly-restrictive rules of engagement, the very thought of being sent into combat might bring suicidal thoughts to anyone’s mind.

[EEGator]

I believe it’s currently 2 suicides per 1 combat death.

[Pat4ever]

I’ve notice and agonized about this, and many others have as well. In addition to all you mentioned, consider the RIFs that are projected and the dismal employment situation. I’ve got to think we will see a turnaround when Mitt cleans house-as he had better! Most mil folks are pretty smart and they have Barky’s number loud and clear.

[rlmorel]

Good God. This is war, it was a firefight, it was apparently a mistake.

This burns my ass.

[seekthetruth]

Here is another link shared with me from Beverly Perlson:

This email below just received from a Veteran who loves and supports our Troops. Please send a donation, Please. This Warrior really needs our support via financial assistance. Thank You! and if you will please forward this and post it all over.

Bev, I love you, however ... we need to cut to the chase. You need to know that for all the “buzz” so far his defense fund has received a mere $200 TOTAL in donations . Pitiful. I know, times are hard. I know because I am living on the edge of bankruptcy. But even I can muster $10 to send him. Where the hell are the other 1,000 Americans who can at least match their outrage with real, tangible support for this wounded, persecuted warrior? Patriots, please put up or stop saying you support our troops.

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=328696033875357&id=407113582661313

************************ I am doing a Texas ping here. I hope patriots who read this thread will consider making a donation to Walter Taylor's defense fund. There is not an easy on line donation process set up, but checking the information above will show the account that has been set up for Sgt Taylor. Thanks!

[bevperl]

Seekthetruth, THANK YOU for always posting and supporting our Troops! Thank you very much. If folks could just send $5 or $10 to the Facebook fund for Sgt lst Class Walter Taylor, I know it would help his heart. The Band of Mothers sent $100 so now we are at $300! Thank you to all who can help. Also, please post the info everywhere!

Thank you!
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
www.thebandofmothers.com
www.defendmichael.com
www.savethissoldier.com

[bayouranger]

Thank you!

[freekitty]

This is wonderful.

[familyop]

"...an Afghan civilian who drove with her family into the middle of a firefight and abruptly exited the car as soldiers neared."

Young men, don't enlist, until they stop trying to use you as civilian police against enemy guerrillas while keeping you under the command of homos and feminists.

[seekthetruth]

Yes, a war in which our troops are found guilty of murder if they happen to kill a civilian in the war zone!