Lt. Col. Allen West seems to be a hero. The Lt. Col. fired a handgun near an Iraqi prisoner’s head while interrogating the prisoner who had refused to talk. The prisoner then confessed to a conspiracy to ambush American troops and named his co-conspirators who were arrested before the ambush could be sprung. The prisoner was not injured.
American lives were saved. Great, right? Well now the Army says Lt. Col West’s actions were assault on the prisoner. Lt. Col. West now he faces a court martial.
This is why terrorists think America is soft. Bureaucrats value the comfort of our enemies above the lives of our troops. War is a nasty business. Scaring a prisoner into talking, especially when he is left uninjured is not a war crime.
Army prosecutors are sending a message to our enemies. Your secrets are safe from us. We are too soft to find them out. When someone is brave enough to scare one of you, we will punish him for it.