Stephen F. Kislock, III – 4/3/05

This page was last updated on April 3, 2005.

‘On the side of life’?; Stephen F. Kislock, III; Beaver County Times; April 3, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“The United State [sic] military, as directed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush, has (1) ‘Soldiers involved in detainees deaths won’t be prosecuted’ (an AP story) and (2) ‘Mud wrestling soldiers’ (In Brief, From the Wire).”

[RWC] Regular readers of Mr. Kislock’s letters won’t be surprised to learn he didn’t provide the full story. First, Mr. Kislock wants us to believe President Bush and Sec. Rumsfeld directed the military to come to their conclusions.

Here’s an excerpt from the AP story.

“Army officials have decided not to prosecute 17 soldiers involved in the deaths of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, a military report says. Military investigators recommended courts-martial for the soldiers in the cases of three prisoner deaths for charges ranging from making false statements to murder. Officers rejected those recommendations, ruling that the soldiers lawfully used force or didn't understand the rules for using force, or that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Eleven U.S. Army soldiers are facing murder or other charges involving the deaths of detainees in Iraq or Afghanistan.”¹

Mr. Kislock noted the soldiers who would not be prosecuted, but forgot to mention those who would. I wonder why?

“President and Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush says, ‘We must err on the side of life,’ referring to Terri Schiavo.

“‘We must err on the side of life’ only for her?

“The Department of Defense refers to deaths of non-Americans as collateral (aside from the main subject, course, etc; secondary, indirect.) damage. (Random House College Dictionary)”

[RWC] Mr. Kislock must have developed an affinity for his dictionary. This is the second letter in a row he felt compelled to quote it. Despite that, he got the definition wrong on a couple of points. First, in a military context, collateral deaths refer to noncombatants regardless of their nationality. Second, deaths of combatants are not collateral deaths.

“The deaths of non-Americans are therefore acceptable? Ever wonder why America is not loved in a world full of non-Americans?

[RWC] How did Mr. Kislock arrive at a conclusion of, “The deaths of non-Americans are therefore acceptable?”

“An Army investigation into a ‘mud-wrestling match’, at Camp Bucca, Iraq, between members of a Military Police Unit, said these soldiers should be disciplined/prosecuted. Yet in the matter of the deaths of 27 prisoners, there will be no prosecution.”

[RWC] Liar, liar, pants on fire. As noted in the very AP article Mr. Kislock selectively quoted, “Eleven U.S. Army soldiers are facing murder or other charges involving the deaths of detainees in Iraq or Afghanistan.”

“I’m confused as to what is important to this government, mud-wrestling matches or the deaths of 27 POWs?”

[RWC] I agree with Mr. Kislock; he is confused.

1. 17 soldiers won’t be prosecuted for detainee deaths; Associated Press; gulfnews.com; March 27, 2005.