It is over and done with, and in Navy SEAL Matthew McCabe’s own words, it’s time to move on.
However, we cannot help but look back at everything that has happened since these charges were first made public, and what we think ought to have been done.
We first read about the story on Fox News, and posted the story on Thanksgiving Day. In our own words, the fact that SEALs were being charged with assault caught our eye – and ire. And we did not even know a whole lot about the case back then.
And now that everything ended up in exoneration anyway, the question remains: why were the SEALs tried in the first place? We have already been fed with the answers provided by the U.S. Command, that they were only upholding the rules, which made us better than terrorists. And for that, these terrorists were probably laughing their heads off.
Maybe it would have helped the U.S. Command if they were a little bit more forthcoming about what it was that they knew. Matthew McCabe, Julio Huertas and Jonathan Keefe all expressly denied that the allegations ever happened in the first place. What investigation was done before the entire situation escalated to a court martial? What exactly was so believable about the allegations of Ahmed Hashim Abed that they would actually question the integrity of those who are perceived as the best of the best?
As McCabe has said, however, we will need to put this behind us. But as a people we would like to point out that this is not how we would like America’s heroes to be treated. The U.S. Command should do better, if there would be a next time.
May 9th, 2010 - 11:36 pm
No, hold on. Don’t put it behind us quite yet. This blog post brings up very important questions that should be answered. Its one thing to have some sort of internal fact-finding mission. This wasn’t Abu Ghraib, this was a gosh-darn bloody lip! Its great to have some sort of review, but a court marhsall? I know they asked for it (typical Seal strong sense of honor – they wanted 100% exoneration, deserved it, and got it) but the whole thing is still insane. Kudos to the 3 guys for getting through it all.
I suppose if McCabe says put it behind us, okay, whatever he says is cool by the likes of little ol microscopic me.
But it seems to me that the ROE need attention. We should not put that behind us. Our leaders are failing us.
People who want to completely get rid of any restraint are wrong – the fact is that the Hearts and Minds campaign worked a heck of a lot better than what was going on before it in Iraq. Okay, so that is one side, one boundary, and on the other side this is a war. War necessitates, well, war! So when you send someone out to do something, then let them do it. Trust them to do it as best they can and be satisfied with the result or don’t send them at all. Don’t send them with a 10-page flowchart of when to fire, when to wait, when to offer to blow the other guys nose, and when to drop a daisycutter on him.
May 10th, 2010 - 5:18 am
[...] the most part – if not the entire time – that the assault charges against the three Navy SEALs dragged on, most of us focused on the fact that Ahmed Hashim Abed is [...]
May 10th, 2010 - 2:41 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by LIGHTFALLONME. LIGHTFALLONME said: Navy SEAL Trial: Time to Move On | Navy SEALs Blog by USNavySEALs.com http://goo.gl/l6dI WAHOOOOOO! [...]
May 10th, 2010 - 3:51 pm
I agree with you 100 percent anon. personally, im a strong believer that all is fair in love and war, especially when our boys are out there fighting with the lawless SOBs they are. It agrivates me to an endless extent when politicians and liberals in washington, or U.N. representatives have the nerve to try and dictate how our soldiers should be protecting our country! you dont stop to read a manual on ROE when someone is breaking into your home, you remove the threat. and thats exactly what politicians dont understand. thats why they arent out on the battlefield, nor need they be. but when they try to dictate what they cant comprehend, they are vastly overstepping thier boundaries.
May 11th, 2010 - 1:52 am
[...] it is time to “put things behind us,” not everyone is willing to do that just yet. Our reader, anon, [...]