Michael Yon

Is there any substantiated evidence that any of the guitmo detainees from Afghan or Iraq were not unlawful combatants??? I agree that we should set a better example and I hope we never have another Abu Ghraib, but please don't tell me we should treat terrorists like lawful combatants. Is Bush guilty for Abu Ghraib? In some vague way he may have given the green light for some misconduct (sure I can swallow that) but don't tell me you think Bush outlined in detail the abuse that actually took place or that he gave approval for what actually happened. I don't buy that!

John Nuremburg establishes as international precedent that those in charge are guilty of war crimes if they knew (or should have known because it was so widespread) of abuse (whether or not they actively planned or condoned the abuse) and failed to take steps to end it. That is the same standard applied for finding supervisors liable for civil rights violations in this country (FWIW). The point is, no matter how backwoods or unsophisticated those enlisted soldiers at Abu Ghraib may have been, I cannot fathom the abuses depicted occuring if they had not been encouraged from senior leadership. By the way, the Spanish prosecution of Chilean President Pinochet establishes international jurisdiction for war crimes. Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush ought not plan any international travel after they leave office (pardons in this county or no). Respects OAM

Can you tell me who a SGT, SSGT, or even SFC (E5-E7), {the highest ranks PLUS one or two of those who were found guilty of the prisoner hazing} would consider to be their SENIOR LEADERS? As a former enlisted Soldier, now an officer, I can tell you to those ranks, a LIEUTENANT COLONEL, MAJOR, or CAPTAIN, would be considered SENIOR LEADERS. When the further layers of the chain of command are included, there is more than reasonable doubt that the highest levels of the US government had no idea of the sophomoric antics being perpetrated at AG. Now, with regards to Camp X-Ray & Gitmo, does the term 'plausible deniability' ring any bells? The problem there comes from superiors (senior leaders) putting too much faith (or power) into the hands of someone who has a "bent" moral compass.

If you are loyal to your superior would you shield that superior from information that could put him/her in front of a Courts Marshall? If you found out that someone under your command was performing a criminal act, at what point would you assume responsiblility? At what point would you say to yourself, "I should have been on top of this before now. If this gets out I am in the s--t!" Isn't this where the cover up of any crime starts? There are so many ways that CYA could have been employed. I don't care about how badly those prisoners were treated, I think the criminals in this country have it way too easy. What I care about is how it made our men/women in uniform look. I care that it gave the liberals something to point at and say "You see how the military is?" I care that is gave the world a bad picture of us. I care that is gave the Office of the President a black eye. That's my bottom line. Aside: Thanks Michael, you are doing a great job! I really enjoy your dispatches!

Sorry, thats martial not Marshall

As a former Marine Helicopter Pilot I participated in the evacuations of Phnum Penh and Saigon (Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind). The defensive rules of engagement weren't the only things that showed our weakness and lack of commitment. Just the idea that history then proved us so very wrong with the genocide that occurred in Cambodia with possibly millions being slaughtered. But the media was almost silent until the making of the movie, "The Killing Fields". To this day it is still merely a footnote in the telling of war stories. Now we are in a very real war against a shadow antagonist. And again the media is silent with our victories and the intestinal fortitude of our troops. Michael, continue the good fight. We are a caring and loving people. We do make a difference in the world. And above all we are not imperialists but lovers of democracy and freedom. Just look to Japan and Germany to see what we've accomplished in the past. It is with a bit of irony that we must recognize that with an all volunteer force we leave back in the states many who are not service minded and have never contributed to this great nation of ours. Best of luck and may God grant you the vision and ability to put into words and pictures the truth of the Winning of the Iraq War. Semper Fi John Philion

OAM states, "Nuremburg establishes as international precedent that those in charge are guilty of war crimes if they knew (or should have known because it was so widespread) of abuse (whether or not they actively planned or condoned the abuse)." Its interesting to me that at Neurenberg the Nazis were not tried in a civilian court by a jury of their peers, they were convicted and executed by a military tribunal. Can international leaders who knew about the widespread abuses in Saddams Iraq but failed to act be tried for war crimes even though they neither actively planned or condoned the abuse (Jacques Chiraq, Gerhardt Schroder, Im looking at you).