Only a few weeks ago people like Bush were so highly impressed by such criminals…just goes to show.
British officer faces war crimes investigation
A senior British army officer is being formally investigated over alleged war crimes in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence said today. Unnamed defence sources quoted by news agencies named the officer under investigation as Lt Col Tim Collins. He made headlines on the eve of the war with a stirring speech to his troops in which he reminded soldiers to have respect for the Iraqi people. The army’s special investigations branch is looking into allegations that Lt Col Collins’ treatment of prisoners of war and an Iraqi civic leader may have broken the Geneva Convention, the sources said. The Sun newspaper, which reported the allegations, said Lt Col Collins denied any wrongdoing. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the investigation into an officer serving in Iraq but declined to comment further. Lt Col Collins, 43, who was often seen with a cigar clenched between his teeth and wearing a pair of sunglasses, was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. His regiment helped secure the oil town of Al Rumalah in the south of Iraq during the war.
Col Bob Stewart, the former commander of British forces in Bosnia, said an investigation was appropriate to keep the army beyond reproach, but said there were situations in war that could be interpreted in different ways. Col Stewart described slapping a hysterical woman during the conflict in Northern Ireland. “I hated myself for doing it but it was the only way that I could get her under control. I do not think it was a war crime. I did it deliberately and I did it to get the situation under control,” he said. “I can readily see situations where people do things that can be cut any way you like.” Lt Col Collins was widely praised for a rousing speech to his troops in Kuwait before the first push into Iraq. He urged them to do their duty while treating the enemy with respect. “Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory,” he said. “If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down through history.” Prince Charles was so impressed by the speech that he wrote a personal note to Lt Col Collins to say how “profoundly moved” he was by the “extraordinarily stirring, civilised and humane” words. The US president, George Bush, was reported to have had a copy of the speech pinned to the wall of his office in the White House.
Re: British officer faces Iraq war crimes investigation
Incidentally, these allegations against Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins have been made by an “American major” himself.
IF true, these are disturbing allegations - when will Blair and Straw finally address this issue ?
A senior army officer praised for his morale-boosting speech to his troops before the invasion of Iraq is being investigated by military police after serious allegations of ill-treatment made by an American soldier.
Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins who commanded the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment and whose rousing speech to troops was praised by Prince Charles and President George Bush, is alleged to have pistol-whipped an Iraqi civil leader, shot at the feet of Iraqi civilians, and shot at the tyres of vehicles when there was no threat to the lives of his soldiers.
The allegations, which Lt Col Collins is understood to strongly deny, were made by an American major in charge of reservists responsible for helping to protect wells in the Rumaila oilfields, near Basra in south-east Iraq.
The Americans “fell out” with the colonel after he suggested they were not up to the job, defence sources said last night.
Re: Re: British officer faces Iraq war crimes investigation
Yes that is what I have been reading as well, and that this unnamed American officer was humiliated or “put in his place” by Collins for telling him how to do his job. The British newspapers are basically portraying this as growing resentment between both allies over the different approcahes towards policing they have, with the American’s clearly more heavy handed and ignorant of Iraqi civilians. This story sheds some light on the growing differences between the two:-
Britain believes that heavy-handed tactics by the US military are to blame for America’s failure to secure Baghdad, which threatens to delay the reconstruction of Iraq as foreign companies steer clear of the capital.](US blamed for Baghdad tension | World news | The Guardian)
Re: Re: Re: British officer faces Iraq war crimes investigation
Well, the truth is that - the US has never been a constructive force vis-a-vis nation building. Must we turn to Somalia, Rwanda, or Afghanistan to prove this point? They are better at designating humanitarian responsibilities to other countries and leaving lapdogs such as the UK (and Canada) to dust the crumbs from the table.
At any rate, i expect that the report from the British army’s special investigations branch (into the conduct of Lt. Col. Collins) should be released within a few months. As with other issues of this nature, i hope it is not swept under the table but given the serious attention it deserves.