Obey or Die Says the Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

It's official -- disobediance of orders of a prison guard may be punished by death.
Ignoring the recomendations of investigators, the Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. decided not to charge military personel who played a role in the death of colonel Jameel [last name lost between page one and page 2 of the NY Times article] by pulling him to his feet with a baton held against his throat. The Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. concluded that this was a lggitimate use of force "in response to repeated aggression and misconduct by the detainee" that is, according to the

The decision not to prosecute in that case, as well as one other, was made by the Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., the Army said.

A senior Army legal official acknowledged that the Iraqi colonel had at one point been lifted to his feet by a baton held to his throat, and that that action had caused a throat injury that contributed to his death.

The Army accounting said the Special Forces Command had determined that the use of force had been lawful "in response to repeated aggression and misconduct by the detainee", that is, according to senior army investigators "the prisoner's resistance to his captors' instructions had caused them to gag him and to lift him to his feet with the baton, actions that contributed to the death." In other words it is OK to kill someone who disobeys. The Special Forces Command does not seem to suggest that the baton wielder was in danger and acted in self defence. They seem to have concluded that the use of potentially lethal force with a disobedient prisoner is OK.

Fellow US citizens remember what has been done in your name and remember that silence is consent.


In a trivial personal comment I note that this excedingly important story is reported by Douglas Jehl and that my one blogging hit (link from Atrios and 7,000 visits) was a criticism of a slip by Jehl. I think very highly of him and his work.

The original text from Jehl is probably better than my summary.

The former Iraqi colonel was not identified but has been named in other reports as Jameel [last name lost between page 1 and page 2 of the story here]

The senior Army legal official said the prisoner's resistance to his captors' instructions had caused them to gag him and to lift him to his feet with the baton, actions that contributed to the death.

Again fellow US citizens remember what has been done in your name and remember that silence is consent.