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December 07, 2009
Caller To Rush Limbaugh ~ Navy SEALs Case Being Pushed By Obama
This forst part of the video is about the rally in NY to protest the Khalid Sheihk Mohammed (KSM) trial that will be in New York City.
Actor Brian Dennehy is among those protesting the trial.
And the second part of the video is about our Navy SEALs.
.
House Republicans Seek Reprieve For Navy SEALs
WASHINGTON (AP) - Lawmakers are seeking a reprieve for three Navy SEALs facing court-martial because one allegedly punched a suspect after arresting him for an ambush killing of U.S. contractors in Iraq.
Rather than accept a reprimand, the sailors chose to fight the charges in a military court. Their appeal greatly raises the stakes because a guilty finding could bring stiff punishment.
A letter that Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif, circulated in the House said prosecuting the three SEALs "seems to us to be an overreaction by the command."
One of the SEALs is accused of punching Ahmed Hashim Abed in the face after his September arrest; the others are accused of falsifying statements on the episode.
Hunter, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the men could face loss of rank, up to one year of confinement, a bad conduct discharge and forfeiture of a portion of their pay each month for up to a year.
About 20 lawmakers signed the letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, including House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Here is the letter from Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif) to Secretary Gates
December 2, 2009
Honorable Robert Gates
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Secretary:
We are writing to express our grave concerns over reports that three Navy SEALs will face court-martial proceedings over their handling of one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq. Based on the information we have, we believe that prosecution of these men is not warranted.
As you are aware, in September, the three SEALs in question captured Ahmed Hashim Abed, the alleged planner of the March 2004 ambush in Fallujah that resulted in the killing of four Blackwater contractors. We all remember the horrifying pictures showing two of these individuals, whose bodies, after being burned and mutilated, were hung on a bridge over the Euphrates River.
Since 2004, Abed evaded capture. However, in September, Special Warfare Operators 2nd Class Matthew McCabe and Jonathan Keefe, and Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Julio Huertas, undertook a mission that resulted in Abed’s capture. Soon after his capture, an investigation was conducted based on reports that Abed had been struck in the stomach by one of the SEALs. As we understand it, there was no allegation of torture or sustained abuse. There was simply just this one alleged act. Prosecuting individuals for such a limited act seems to us to be an overreaction by the command. As a result of the investigation, the three SEALs refused to accept non-judicial punishment, believing, according to one of the defense attorneys that they are innocent of the charges. If convicted, they could face significant punishment of up to one year’s confinement, a bad conduct discharge, forfeiture of a portion of their pay each month for up to a year and a reduction in their rank.
It appears from all accounts that these SEALs are exceptional sailors, demonstrated by the fact that each had recently been advanced in rank. They captured a terrorist who had planned an attack that not only killed Americans but also maimed and mutilated their bodies. We believe that prosecution of these sailors for such an apparently limited action will have a negative impact on others in the military who risk their lives in dangerous, often ambiguous situation. Again, we strongly believe that these court-martial proceedings are not warranted and would urge that you review this matter.
Last week on the Rush Limbaugh a retired military intelligence officer called up and had this to say about the Navy Seals case.
He stated that the case of the 3 seals was being pushed relentlessly by the White House. He said that it was pay back for the action taken by the SEALS to kill the pirates that held hostage the skipper of a ship, which was a world-wide event. Obama had set the rules of engagement in such a manner that they almost precluded killing the pirates. A shot could be taken only if the death of the skipper appeared imminent. The seals were on site for 38 hours and had several chances to take out the pirates, but were held back. Finally, the on-site commander determined that the skipper was threatened and ordered the shot. The White House was furious. Obama claimed that he ordered the shot to gain public support, but this was clearly not the case. So, now it is pay back time for the seals.
READ transcript below:
RUSH: Greg in North Carolina, great to have you on the phone here, sir. Welcome to EIB Network.
CALLER: Hi, Mr. Limbaugh, how are you?
RUSH: Fine, sir.
CALLER: Good. I just wanted to call and kind of give a little more insight on this SEAL team situation. I was in the teams for 20 years. I have multiple-decade military service and came in not long after Vietnam. I also worked for Blackwater for a few years in Iraq and know one of the guys that was killed at Fallujah quite well. But, anyway, the point I’m going to get at here is that I think there’s quite a bit of evidence that this is kind of a backwash from the situation of a couple months ago when the SEAL operators rescued Captain Phillips off the coast of Somalia. You may recall that situation.
RUSH: Yes, I do.
CALLER: Well, the truth behind that situation is that the SEAL operators were kept off the scene for well over 36 hours. There was a lot of foot dragging by the commander-in-chief’s people in letting them in the theater. After they were in theater and in place they were given a very restrictive ROE: Rules Of Engagement. The ROE was so restrictive that really they couldn’t engage their targets. There were two previous opportunities to rescue Captain Phillips, and they were not allowed to take those opportunities.
RUSH: Let me stop you here because people may not know. We’re talking Somali pirates. We’re talking about the Maersk cargo ship that a bunch of Somali pirates, teenagers, took over. One of them eventually died, and the media credited Obama — honest to God, folks, the media credited Obama — with giving the order to pull the trigger. Now you may resume the story, sir.
CALLER: Okay. When they finally did engage the hostiles, they did it liberally interpreting the ROE, and the on-site commander finally was kind of fed up with the situation and gave them a weapons-free command and they were able to engage and rescue Captain Phillips. The fallout from that was immediate and rather violent in its anger. The White House people — I don’t know the president himself, I just know their representatives with the chain of command — were absolutely livid with this and they did not want the rescue to be conducted in the way that it was. You know, I cannot prove this because I would have to give names and I’m not giving names for obvious reasons. But the bottom line is that on very good, solid inside information, the national command authority past the Pentagon was not happy.
RUSH: So let me cut to the chase here. So what I think I hear you saying is the blowback that you mentioned is, this is payback for the SEALs violating the ROE on this captain of the Maersk; and this is the chain of command reasserting itself, letting everybody know who’s boss and what’s going to happen to you if you don’t follow orders?
CALLER: That is my rather experienced opinion — and, frankly, the opinion of others
Six Important Facts About the Assault Charges Three Navy SEALs Face for Doing Their Jobs
In recent years, I’ve published too many posts about members of the Armed Forces facing undeserved charges:
•First, it was the so-called “Haditha Marines” [1] who faced trumped-up charges, thanks largely to idiots like Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) declaring them guilty before a mainstream media eager to paint them in a bad light.
•Next, it was Army Ranger 1st Lt. Michael Behenna [2] who was wrongly convicted of executing an Iraqi detainee, Ali Mansur, on May 16, 2008, and is now serving a 25-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
•Now, I’m following the case of three Navy SEALs facing assault charges [3] related to their capture of Ahmed Hashim Abed. Who is Abed? He’s the alleged planner of the March 2004 ambush, killing and mutilation of four Blackwater contractors in Fallujah, Iraq. The SEALS gave this enemy combatant piece of dirt a fat lip while apprehending him.
As my first investigative reporting effort related to the SEALs’ case, I offer six important facts about the case you’re likely not to read about in the mainstream media supplied to me by a source whom I cannot name inside the Pentagon:
1) The charges or accusations against the three Navy SEALs were not made from within the SEAL community. Sources tell me they came from someone within the Navy’s Master-at-Arm community.
2) The SEALs were presented with the option of going to Captain’s Mast for these charges but declined this form of non-judicial punishment and opted for court-martial instead. Why? Because they did not want to be judged by those outside of the SEAL community and believed the court-martial route would assure them the representation necessary to prove their innocence.
3) At no time did anyone within the Naval Special Warfare community have any control over these accusations or events other than providing advice or guidance to the accused SEALs.
4) The integrity of the chain of custody of the prisoner is at question.
5) There are extenuating circumstances that indicate there is questionable evidence in some of the accusations made.
6) Evidence will come out in a court-martial that might not have come out in a Captain’s Mast in favor of the accused SEALs.
Wild Thing's comment.........
These men are heroes, not criminals. They should be treated with dignity and honor
I believe the caller to Rush's show. Obama and his administration have consistently shown us they do not put our troops first, do not respect them. Obama favors the Muslims!!!
My prayers go out to these SEALS.
These men are being prosecuted because they did their job and because they did it well. This is what they are supposed to do. And aside from Fox News, the media is IGNORING this story!!!
Our soldiers and sailors are the men and women that have kept terrorists at bay for eight years. These are the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for you and your families. These are the men and women who have the enemy on the run right now so that you can sleep peacefully at night.
These are the men and women being shot at, blown up, injured and killed, and they are shooting back at the enemy to defend you against terrorists that would otherwise be in your town, shooting at you, taking your loved ones hostage and beheading them.
The prosecution of our Sailors for the alleged action against a terrorist is madness.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at December 7, 2009 05:49 AM
Comments
Up here we're hearing this is payback for the US Navy SEALS for having taken out those two Somali pirates when they hijacked the Alabama months ago.
I'm not kidding! The SEALS saved the life of the captain and eliminated two pieces of terroristic dung and the Obamanians were ticked off behind closed casbah doors...
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 7, 2009 11:08 AM
Yup, that is believable and sure makes sense. Notice how this is not reported anywhere in the Lame stream media. Typical dem playbook tactics, get even with the Military.
This ungreatful son of a bitch, the Seal Snipers saved obamas ass big time. Because he had no clue what he was doing. This is how he pays them back with a knife in the back.
Don't think our enemies and allies have not noticed how this is being handled. This is similar to the pay back to Israel. obama doesn't play with a full deck and deals from the bottom. This has now been made crystal clear.
Posted by: Mark at December 7, 2009 12:02 PM
I feel for the Ranger Lt. whose life has been ruined for practicing the dangerous art of war.
These three SEALs should walk. However you never know what will happen in a trial. The MSM should be making this front page news, but right now they are more interested in the legal status of Tiger Woods pre nuptial agreement. America has tipped upside down in it's moral values. Any upcoming revolt will be just as morally based as it will be based on economic or political reasons.
Posted by: TomR at December 7, 2009 01:08 PM
And the irony of it is that the Courts Martial begins today on December 7th in Pearl Harbor.
As for the Haditha dealio, we're attending a meeting with a Marine lawyer who is involved with the never ending persecution of a Marine commander who asshole Murtha had accused of murdering innocent iraqis.The Navy continues trying to send him to prison. Thank god I am not serving in the military under this CinC (coward in charge)and I feel so sorry for those that have to pretend that he is their boss.
Posted by: Eddie (Enemy of the State) at December 7, 2009 04:08 PM
Some Navy REMF's are pushing for this. In any other time in history, these men would have been awarded medals, Silver Star or higher. But in this war, they're disciplinary action because a murdering piece of crap got a bloody lip. I wonder how many bloody lips those men got during SEAL training?
Posted by: BobF at December 7, 2009 07:52 PM
Great input thank you all so much.
I agree, they should be mentioning this
information in the media.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 7, 2009 11:35 PM
