05 March, 2007

USMC honor

Yesterday, the news media in Australia carried a digraceful story of a high-ranking American political stooge and White House toady trying to use the Uniform Code of Military Justice to intimidate Major Michael Mori who had been appointed to defend an Australian detained at Guantanamo Bay, David Hicks..



Let's get a couple of things straight,



Firstly. ....

In my opinion, it is likely that many of the people held in Guantanomo Bay were up to no good when they were captured and the probably did not have our continued well-being as their first priority. Many of them are probably Baddies through-and-through.



It's also crystal clear that they should have been handled firmly and fairly and in strict adherence to both the letter and the spirit of the Geneva Convention. War is about victory or defeat - it's not about guaranteed employment to every weirdo, sociopath, drunk, bully, fanatic or sadist in the United States who fancies himself as an interrogator or as an "action-hero".



Secondly ....

Major Michael Mori is first and foremost a patriotic American. Never forget that. He has upheld the honour of his service. He has maintained the highest standards of the legal profession. He hasn't given 85% commitment, he hasn't given 99% commitment ..... he has given 110% and 120% commitment to his assigned duty.

David Hicks is lucky that Major Mori was assigned to defend him ..... and not to prosecute him because he would have been equally tenacious, vigorous and honourable as a Prosecutor!.

For Heaven's sake, Major Mori is a trained fighting man ..... so why all the hullabaloo when he gets up and fights vigorously to win? That's bloody ridiculous!! Australians admire a man who has the guts to "give it a go" and regular Americans admire a man with real fighting spirit too.

Washington, Farragut, Grant, Sheridan, Patton and Halsey would be proud to know that fine officers, such as Major Mori, who do not fear difficult tasks, still serve the people and the flag of the United States.

Of course there's a bit of shouting and shoving and swirling dust when free men and women speak their minds and stand up for what they believe ...... those of us who cherish liberty and impartial justice would not have it otherwise.

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So what can be done?

1. Promote Major Mori straight to full Colonel. If the United States is to survive, it must have talented leaders ..... and Major Mori has demonstrated that he has that in full neasure.

2. Kick that high-ranking boofhead who tried to intimidate Major Mori straight out into civilian life and make him work for a living. Can't recall his name; an utterly forgettable coward. What sort of a gutless oaf would hide behind all the fine print of the Uniform Code of Military Justice instead of tackling Major Mori man-to-man if anything was said that offended his delicate ears? What a wimp! What a sorry excuse for an officer! Chuck him out before he disgraces the United States further.

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Oh, by the way, we in Australia do have a regular and comprehensive legal system with roots that go back a few thousand years ....... and it is a legal system well experienced in dealing with crimes of violence, including terrorism and political assassination. It is a grievous unforgivable insult to Australia that the United States continued to hold David Hicks (apparently on nothing more than the whims of Mr Air-Guard-AWOL and three of his trans-Pacific sycophants).

He must be sent back to face OUR justice in Australia, whatever that may be.