Three Navy SEALs court-martialed after giving most-wanted Iraqi terrorist a fat lip
posted at 5:32 pm on November 24, 2009 by Allahpundit
Looks awful, but I’m suspicious that it’s as bad as it seems given Fox’s misleading headline: “Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist.” That makes it sound like the act of capturing him is the offense here, which would be insane even by the Army’s Nidal-Hasan standards of political correctness.
But that’s not what happened. They’re being charged for allegedly giving him a beating and covering it up.
Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com…
Ahmed Hashim Abed, whom the military code-named “Objective Amber,” told investigators he was punched by his captors — and he had the bloody lip to prove it…
[A SEAL witness] told investigators he had showered after the mission, gone to the kitchen and then decided to look in on the detainee.
“I gave the detainee a glance over and then left,” the SEAL wrote. “I did not notice anything wrong with the detainee and he appeared in good health.”…
United States Central Command declined to discuss the detainee, but a legal source told FoxNews.com that the detainee was turned over to Iraqi authorities, to whom he made the abuse complaints. He was then returned to American custody. The SEAL leader reported the charge up the chain of command, and an investigation ensued.
I like Goldfarb’s take: “A fat lip? That’s enough to get you rough military justice from the Obama administration, but blow up the World Trade Center and you get all the due process rights of the civilian criminal justice system.” Even so, the fact that this turd got the Iraqi authorities involved may have left Central Command with little choice here. The last thing the military needs right now is another detainee-abuse headache, especially with some Iraqi pols already leaning on them about withdrawal. Giving the SEALs a zero-tolerance wrist slap reminds other troops not to do anything more seriously stupid that might be exploited politically. And it will be a wrist slap, I’m sure: The last thing The One needs after shipping KSM off to NYC for his close-up is the image of SEALs being hauled off to prison for busting some jihadi in the face. In fact, according to Fox, the SEALs requested a court-martial rather than nonjudicial punishment, presumably because they know full well how awful this looks for the military. Prediction: Wrist slap.
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I feel so bad for the poor baby…./sarc
RalphyBoy on November 24, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Why are we treating our sworn enemies better than our best and brightest?
kingsjester on November 24, 2009 at 5:36 PM
OK, so tell me again why people should enlist?
Snake307 on November 24, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Yes but will KSM get a fair trial and a wrist slap?
aengus on November 24, 2009 at 5:37 PM
I don’t believe they did it.
4shoes on November 24, 2009 at 5:37 PM
let the libs go fight and die for their country.
right4life on November 24, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Court martialed for a fat lip? Back in the day, that got you, at worst, a 15 minute detention after class. Good grief, what can our service people be thinking at this point?
james23 on November 24, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Next time just shoot the bastard in the head. Atleast get your money’s worth.
lavell12 on November 24, 2009 at 5:38 PM
This can not stand.My God what is our country becoming?We the American people can not allow these heroes to be railroaded by political correctness gone wild.
thmcbb on November 24, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Those SEALS should be subjected to a Military Tribunal!
Daggett on November 24, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Come on, since when do we court martial our soldiers just to give a little political cover to an Iraqi politician? Lord, this is insane.
james23 on November 24, 2009 at 5:40 PM
More evidence of ‘Change’, I’m thinking.
CPT. Charles on November 24, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Navy SEALs gave him a… fat lip? That’s it?
They must have been asleep or something.
stevezilla on November 24, 2009 at 5:41 PM
It’s really hard for me not to punch through my computer screen right now.
WisCon on November 24, 2009 at 5:41 PM
I don’t know what you consider a wrist slap, but all findings from a court martial are considered felony convictions if found guilty.
We are going to lock up Special Operators for giving a terrorist a fat lip, give me a break. This jihadist knew all the right cards to play, meaning finding a sympathetic media to promote his story. Has everybody forgotten what it is like to fight?
Just A Grunt on November 24, 2009 at 5:41 PM
After hearing Glenn just nuke Obama over dithering in Afghanistan and now this, I pray for the day Obama is out of office. I just can’t stand this BS much more.
fourdeucer on November 24, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Let’s throw our men behind bars because failing to do so might piss off some Islamist. Also, let’s destroy our buildings because their presence pisses off Bin Laden.
Uh huh. He’s already giving the terrorists a stage to air their views while prosecuting American SEALs for giving terrorists a bloody lip. This after he bows to Saudi Arabian royalty and apologizes to the world for putting our interests above Russia’s.
He’ll do whatever he wants. He probably figures he’ll only serve on term anyway.
amerpundit on November 24, 2009 at 5:43 PM
I guess with asymmetric warfare, you get asymmetric justice.
Chainsaw56 on November 24, 2009 at 5:43 PM
I can feel a “flashpoint” building and it is very scary.
retiredeagle on November 24, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Prediction, nothing happens to them at all. If they all requested courts martial over NJP, I’m sure they feel pretty comfortable with their situation.
hawkdriver on November 24, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Lesson learned here kids?
Take no prisoners from this point forward….
UncleOlaf on November 24, 2009 at 5:45 PM
This is preposterous, but hardly unexpected during the Osama Obama regime.
I suspect the Iraqis fattened the miserable sh!t’s lip, but he knew whining to our military, currently led by a traitorous, no-balls CinC, would get him some attention and maybe get him cut loose.
What we really don’t need right now, AP, is another American-military-abuse headache. Our heroes take enough crap from the current boss; they don’t need more.
MrScribbler on November 24, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Whoever wrote the above knows little if anything about the military justice sytem.
Non Judicial Punishment can only GIVE you a wrist slap… you NEVER go to a Court Martial UNLESS you are innocent of the charges.
Punishements in a Court Martial are ORDERS of Magnitude greater than they can give in Captains Mast.
BUT you also have a Lawyer, and witnesses, and can provide evidence, which you cannot do at Mast…
My guess? Seal team leader saw the Perp as OK… and they then turned him over to Iraqis… who gave him the fat lip… then blamed the Seals… after all, do you think the IRAQI Government cares if its guys give a Terrorist a Fat Lip????
Only our overly PC way OVER LAYERED Military cares how they look.
Romeo13 on November 24, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Hope so.
They should get a medal.
JetBoy on November 24, 2009 at 5:46 PM
It is amazing anyone would volunteer to serve this country.
Wade on November 24, 2009 at 5:47 PM
This is utterly disgusting.
He tripped and fell. Case closed.
Now give those men a damn medal for capturing the POS — who murdered and mutilated four Americans!
red winger on November 24, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Wouldn’t be a bad idea. Maybe one of our think tanks can give them awards before the trial.
amerpundit on November 24, 2009 at 5:47 PM
let the libs
go fight anddiefor their country.right4life on November 24, 2009 at 5:37 PM
justltl on November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
This is what happens when you fight the overseas contingency operation. Crap happens…
StevefromMKE on November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Disgusting. When the enemy captures our men they are tortured and set on fire before being hung from a pole. Heaven forbid our military, who are operating under the most PC restrictions in history and dying for it, get over zealous in apprehending a terrorist.
Has it been four years of Obamao yet?
Hening on November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Good for them – refusing NJP.
Someone gave them good legal advice. They won’t even get a wrist slap – they’ll get nothing!
blink on November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Oh come on. A fat lip? I have to say, I don’t much care.
Terrye on November 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM
As I recall, it’s SOP for captured terrorists to claim they were mistreated after being grabbed. Sounds like this guy read the AQ manual.
Wonder how they’re discussing this over at Kos. After all, he’s the idiot who said he felt no compassion for the guys this thug killed in 2004.
Del Dolemonte on November 24, 2009 at 5:49 PM
The worst the SEAL’s could have gotten from a ‘Mast was a reduction in rate, half pay for up to three months, and 45 days of either correctional custody or confinement.
I once had the pleasure of appearing before the Captain of an entire Navy base and it was not a good time.
But there is no way the Navy is going to do much to three guys they have invested millions of dollars in, this will quietly go away. SEAL’s are way way too hard to come by.
Bishop on November 24, 2009 at 5:49 PM
The Obama administration and his media are teaching the terrorists and jihadis how to work the system;
Terrorists now want to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention?
LOL HAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAA!!!
Cybergeezer on November 24, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Prediction: Rock-star sex
pseudonominus on November 24, 2009 at 5:50 PM
If these guys are convicted, I’m setting up a torch and pitchfork stand in Washington.
amerpundit on November 24, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Or he resisted. Does anyone think he surrendered quietly? Come off it. Also terrorists know our system so the first complaint they are trained to make is “abuse!”
dogsoldier on November 24, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Hope not. Unless they actually tortured the guy, they deserve nothing more than the medal that JetBoy calls for.
These are elite soldiers in the midst of war and should not be expected to act like police officers conducting speed traps on Americans.
JCred on November 24, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Good for the SeALs. The NJP was offered as a way for them to “take one for the team.” There comes a time when you tell the “team” to KMA, and this is one of those times. I am pretty certain the court-martial of those Marines that supposedly were shooting non-combatants, or whatever load of crap they were charged with and found innocent of, are fresh in the SeALs’ minds. Good luck gentlemen.
TQM38a on November 24, 2009 at 5:53 PM
I bet he gave himself the fat lip, so he could make a stink.
Disturb the Universe on November 24, 2009 at 5:53 PM
I know a few SEALS, and I can assume you that if this guy got a fat lip it was because they didn’t want to hurt him. If they wanted him hurt, they do know how to make that happen.
MikeA on November 24, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Trust me here, refusing and Article 15 and opting for a Courts Martial is a serious step and not one I would willing make regardless of the righteousness of my action. And not all courts martials are the same. A special CM would get you little publicity and because of the nature of their work, almost everything Special Operators do is classified, almost no media reporting will be allowed.
I think they make a serious, serious error.
E9RET on November 24, 2009 at 5:54 PM
You know… remind me, that should I ever quit my minimum wage job at the restaurant, and join the military, it involves being behind the controls of a vehicle…say, an AC-130, operating one of the weapons, or an Apache, or an A-10….
from what I hear, the scumbags tend not to complain after being hit with a few High Explosive, High caliber rounds…
That is, until the One and Holder declare that those are just too cruel to use… and that we should play Cowboys and In… erm I mean “Oppressed Minority of the evil, selfish United State” with Red Ryder BB Guns with the terrorist
Then we’ll learn those are too dangerous, and that we should resort to Cork Pop “guns” tied to a string.
Then we’ll learn that’s promoting gun violence, and that maybe we should use signs with the Peace symbol…..
wait those can be used as weapons too, as shown by ANSWER…Crap….
Razgriez on November 24, 2009 at 5:55 PM
This is absurd. We’re at war dammit.
CP on November 24, 2009 at 5:55 PM
True. And another reason, even if they had done something to this PUC, for it to go away quickly.
hawkdriver on November 24, 2009 at 5:55 PM
What? No beer invite to the White House?
JellyToast on November 24, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Wah wah. I’d have done a lot more than give him a fat lip.
Ryan Anthony on November 24, 2009 at 5:56 PM
The problem is a slap on the wrist in todays military can end a career.
jbsanctuary on November 24, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Michael Savage picked up the story and it’s on his website.
Good.
I know who I’ll be tuned in to tonight.
I quite like his take on stories like this.
Marcus on November 24, 2009 at 5:56 PM
I was thinking this very same thing. The chain of custody was broken when the prisoner was turned over to the Iraqis. How do they know the assault (if it even occured) didn’t happen at the hands of the Iraqis?
I was a witness twice and a jurist once at a Courts-Martial. I would rather face justice there than in ANY civilian court. The military is interested in the truth, NOT in who wins, and I was VERY impressed with what I witnessed. These SEALs who requested Courts-Martial are correct to do so, and I would do the same thing if I knew I was innocent. It forces the powers that be to review everything, and decide if this is really worth the evidence to bring to trial.
AW1 Tim on November 24, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Corrected for grammar.
Trust me here, refusing an Article 15 and opting for a Courts Martial is a serious step and not one I would willingly make regardless of the righteousness of my actions.
And not all courts martials are the same. A special CM would get you little publicity and because of the nature of their work, almost everything Special Operators do is classified, almost no media reporting will be allowed.
I think they’re make a serious, serious error.
E9RET on November 24, 2009 at 5:54 PM
E9RET on November 24, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Unless there are some crucial facts missing from the public account, this is absurd.
Abelard on November 24, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Welcome to Obamarxist’s world. We just live in it.
Gob on November 24, 2009 at 5:57 PM
What’s not mentioned is they put womens underwear on his head and he was humiliated.
DanMan on November 24, 2009 at 5:58 PM
They should have just given him the ol’ double tap instead, the POS would’nt be able to compalain then
Ltmousseman on November 24, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Count me in.
Weight of Glory on November 24, 2009 at 5:59 PM
These terrorists need to be tagged with an identifiable metal chip; Something like a 230 gr. tag, that shows up when scanned, and then released.
Cybergeezer on November 24, 2009 at 6:00 PM
“The SEALS behaved stupidly” -Dear Leader
Yep. Probably “walked into a door”.
Del Dolemonte on November 24, 2009 at 6:00 PM
It is a sad day that the Armed Forces have been forced to this old rule:
Dead men tell no tales.
portlandon on November 24, 2009 at 6:00 PM
So this muslim jihadi was hiding among his fellow muslims after killing and desecrating kafirs
He was captured but later handed over to his fellow muslims in the Iraqi government
Then he was handed over to the kafirs
And he ends up with an alleged fatlip and the Navy seals get blamed for it ?
Maybe the Iraqis gave him a fatlip to spite the kafirs
Maybe he smashed his own face against a wall to spite the kafirs
I don’t believe a word coming out of this muslim killer’s mouth, but then I’m not a Harvard Professor.
macncheez on November 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM
If Ogabe were stupid enough to make a big issue of this, and he might just be, it would drop his numbers straight into the toilet.
Three of the best soldiers our nation can produce are put on trial for inflicting a fat lip on the same sort of scum that killed 13 at Fort Hood? Death knell for Ogabe’s administration.
Bishop on November 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Who the F*CK cares?
They should’ve TORE HIM APART! Limb by limb!
We stand with you, Navy Seals!
HornetSting on November 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM
For every second of administrative time and every second of any punitive time these Seals get the more I despise this administration.
fourdeucer on November 24, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Why is it that I see knitting classes in future SEAL training?
EnochCain on November 24, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Lately? Rarely.
hawkdriver on November 24, 2009 at 6:04 PM
If all he got was a fat lip, I would consider him lucky. It’s sad when we give terrorists the ability to treat our troops like crap. I hate that we give the terrorist everything they demand. It’s a joke.
When these guys are locked up they get more luxuries than the troops get. It’s just sick.
Brat4life on November 24, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Hopefully they gave him the fat lip by hitting him with a waterboard.
GnuBreed on November 24, 2009 at 6:06 PM
http://www.veteranoutrage..
No more of this Liberal pussy
lets be nice to the islamic terrorists
but JAIL our own soldiers instead..
Damnit …
I think its time for a stinking revolt..
enough is enough..
How many shares in opium crops
did the taliban pay
Obama and the democrats in order to betray thier own country..
I want answers..
veteranoutrage on November 24, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Those SEALs should be subjected to a medal.
gwelf on November 24, 2009 at 6:06 PM
I’ve known both women and men that would bash themselves against a wall, call the police and claim spousel abuse.
If these soldiers had beaten up this piece of pondscum, I’m guessing it would have been a lot worse than a fat lip.
Since our Exulted One cannot make up his mind on what to do with this distasteful war that Bush started, these men will get expedited sentences. Besides, it’ll help EO and America gain new friends in the world. Party on D.C./sarc
24K lady on November 24, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Well, he should be thankful he was captured be the SEALs and not a BART cop.
EnochCain on November 24, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Unless, as I suspect, the Seals have time-dated pictures of the vermin when he was turned over. I’ve heard of this happening before, as surely our guys have.
TXUS on November 24, 2009 at 6:09 PM
I agree.
ladyingray on November 24, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Good grief!!!! I hope all my “crimes” fall outside of the 7 year limit!
Next time you hear troop morale is falling come back and read this article.
the Coondawg on November 24, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Its a little like this scene in band of brothers…
liquidflorian on November 24, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Any word from Murtha yet? Maybe this time , with Hussain in office, Murtha will get his ego restored
macncheez on November 24, 2009 at 6:14 PM
A court martial for giving jihadist scum a Sipowicz-style tuneup? What would George Patton or Bull Halsey say? We are doomed.
Travis Bickle on November 24, 2009 at 6:15 PM
The SEALS should have “accidentally” shot him in the head when he “resisted”
jonezee on November 24, 2009 at 6:16 PM
This is insane. Just flat out crazy.
Zorro on November 24, 2009 at 6:16 PM
What is disconcerting is that the enemy is constantly learning & manipulating, and by doing so it is only being rewarded more & more by America itself bending over backward to reveal methods & or accommodate.
All these clowns standing up for Jihadists rights, political correctness etc in America are aiding & abetting the enemy irrespective if these people are citizens or in office / govt imho.
saus on November 24, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Bring the big coward to NY give his rights and let him tell world what a great guy Obama is and what a bad country we are.
thmcbb on November 24, 2009 at 6:17 PM
In my Admin., I’d give them medals but that’s just me.
Yakko77 on November 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM
A Court-Martial? He should get a medal….
Tim Burton on November 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM
They brought him back alive, didn’t they? No bullet holes, throat not slashed, head still attached to body, hands and feet attached to body, what’s the beef?
Probably the guy has some inner ear problems that throws his balance off, fell down and hurt himself.
These SEALS are heroes, plain pure and simple.
Jakefut on November 24, 2009 at 6:19 PM
I can hear glass breaking
Ouch
macncheez on November 24, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Bizzaro world folks, bizzaro world.
NY Conservative on November 24, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Holder says: I sure hope he read that guy his Miranda rights.
chaswv on November 24, 2009 at 6:21 PM
I want to know why they brought this peice of trash in alive.
paulsur on November 24, 2009 at 6:21 PM
BTW, I saw you asked what Bleeds Blue had said about Trig Palin. He watched the video from Palins book tour in GR Mich and at one point, a man comes up behind Plain who is talking to the crowd with Trig on her arm. The man taps her and when she turns and looks at him, he reaches out and motions that he’ll take the boy while she’s speaking. It was actually rather cute the way the man smiles at Trig when he takers him too. It obviously wasn’t something Palin expected the man to do on cue. But BB made this comment and it just made my blood boil.
Watch the clip. Nothing like what he said at all. Actually, quite endearing if you ask me. But anyway, using the word “grotesque” to describe holding that little boy is one thing, but even if he meant the action on her part was grotesque was ridiculous, uncalled for and put him in the permanent cold-hearted troll category in my book.
hawkdriver on November 24, 2009 at 6:24 PM
We’re talking about SEALS here folks. These are some of the most highly trained and finely honed military people in the entire history of the world. And they are also some of the most diciplined. A SEAL is not likely to usea brand of mouthwash his team leader would not approve of; much less use a high value/high propfile captive as a puncing bag.
MikeA on November 24, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Where is Grow Fins, Bleeds Blue, Proud Rino, Vox and all their ilk? Guess this kind of stuff doesnt bother them…
mo_gunslinger on November 24, 2009 at 6:25 PM
The perp fell into the SEAL’s closed hand and knuckles– no charges necessary!!
leftnomore on November 24, 2009 at 6:26 PM
A busted lip. Oh, the horror.
Don’t know about anyone else, but anything short of beheading those who would behead you should be met with a commendation or, what the hell, the Peace Prize.
You effin’ PC whores in the military or elsewhere, leave our heroes alone!
TXUS on November 24, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Infuriating, but nothing new. This is how the military brass treats our troops. Except now not only are civilian lives more important than their own men, terrorists are too. Wow.
It’s disgusting, and we will LOSE this war if this mentality persists — with more heroes lost, many more dead civilians, more jihadists weeds, and no better on what they seem to value above all this: image.
Because the propaganda of the enemy, and their enablers on the left will continue, regardless of what you actually do. They will lie, and lie some more, and you can’t do anything about it.
We go out of our way to kowtow to these barbarians — lawyer them up, hand them a fresh Koran literally with gloves on, put our own troops at extreme more risk in avoiding civilian casualties — and what to we get in return? Most around the world thinking that the US tortures, rapes, and kills anyone and everyone in their way, and are no better than the terrorists they’re fighting.
So then, the only thing you can do, is to do the only thing moral in war: ENDING it as soon as possible, by DESTROYING the enemy.
Otherwise — you get this, and with no end in sight.
jjraines on November 24, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Wrist slap? AP, you just don’t know your Uniform Code of Military Justice too well.
I totally agree with hawkdriver. When they opted for the Courts Martial, they know the unvarnished, truthful facts will come out and they’re will be NO wrist slap….unless one of them runs into AP in a bar some night.
GoldenEagle4444 on November 24, 2009 at 6:27 PM
I am with all the people here that say take no prisoners.
THE ONLY GOOD TERRORIST IS A DEAD ONE!!!!!
These poor seals will probably get put through the wringer while the terrorists get the royal treatment.
This has to be the WOEST
concernedsenior on November 24, 2009 at 6:27 PM
I hope you two are correct.
Loxodonta on November 24, 2009 at 6:27 PM
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