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Al Qaeda-Cowed Nation Indicts U.S. Soldiers

It was only a matter of time.  Charges of homicide and “crimes against the international community” from a Spanish court against LTC deCamp, Maj. Philip Wolford and Sgt. Shawn Gibson in the death of Jose Cuoso in the Hotel Palestine in Baghdad, April 8, 2003. 

 

This is absurd, and shows a gross disregard for the facts.  Unfriendly investigations by  Reuters, Reporters Sans Frontieres and the Committee to Protect Journalists, in addition to the U.S. military’s own investigation, failed to turn up evidence of murder. Despite RSF’s sensational claim and CPJ’s insinuations to the contrary, none were able to demonstrate anything but an accident of war. There was a negligence on the part of U.S. military planners to mark the Hotel Palestine as a sensitive site, but that hardly makes these three soldiers guilty of murder.

Like every non-Iraqi in Baghdad that day, Cuoso chose to put himself in harm’s way.  He may have thought he was safe in the Hotel Palestine. He learned otherwise. There is no safe place in a war zone. Just ask Julio Anguito Parrado. The day before Cuoso was killed, Parrado and German newsman Christian Liebig stayed behind when our armored column left to attack Baghdad. They thought it would be too dangerous.  They were killed when an Iraqi anti-tank missile hit the brigade’s tactical operations center in the rear assembly area. For some reason, there doesn’t seem to be an investigation into Parrado’s death.  

In the Hotel Palestine incident, the fault lies with Iraqi soldiers and irregulars who chose to use civilian buildings, civilian vehicles and civilian clothes, who were swarming on the east bank of the Tigris and firing from there all morning.  Those of us who were on the ground had never heard of the Hotel Palestine, unlike everyone else who had access to TV. It was not marked on Wolford’s maps. The entire city was a free-fire zone, and U.S. soldiers were at liberty to put rifle bullets, tank rounds, artillery or aerial bombs into any structure that presented a threat.

It is unfortunate that the Spanish government doesn’t care as much about everyone else in Iraq as it does about one dead Spanish war correspondent.  Perhaps it would still have soldiers there trying to make Iraq a better place.  Rather than persecuting American soldiers.

Some of the reports are linked below.  I’d caution that CPJ and RSF have significant omissions and distortions.  For example: RSF failed to include its own investigator’s acknowledgement that the Iraqis had a missile installation downstream from the Palestine, fire from which could have been perceived as coming from the vicinity of the Palestine.  Jean Paul Mari told me that in Baghdad a couple of days after the incident. CPJ quotes a reporter as an authoritative source saying no fire came from the vicinity of the Palestine, but also quotes him saying he was unaware the building he was in had just been hit by a high explosive anti-tank round. 

CPJ makes a big deal about how visible the Hotel Palestine sign is from the Jumhuriya bridge.  Everything was covered with dirt from heavy dust storms when we were there, and it was a hazy day.  In any case, we had been fired on from a number of high-rise civilian buildings that day.  

CPJ chose to omit my character reference remarks for Wolford and Gibson, whom I had witnessed repeatedly withholding fire to avoid killing civilians.  Regarding Wolford, Gibson and deCamp, I consider them friends, honorable men and good soldiers who do not deserve the insult and injury of murder charges for an accident of war.

Regretably, the Spanish government still hasn’t taken me up on my offer to testify.  I would be happy to tell Judge Santiago Pedraz the extent of the contempt in which I hold him.  I would also like to tell the Spanish government and those Spaniards who voted for it in the wake of an al-Qaeda attack what cowards I consider them to be.   

April 8, 2003

Centcom report

CPJ’s “Permission to Fire”

RSF’s “Two Murders and a Lie”

Mudville Gazette’s Crittenden interviews and excerpts of David Zucchino’s Thunder Run.

Topics: Iraq

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 3:02 pm on Friday, April 27, 2007

18 Responses to “Al Qaeda-Cowed Nation Indicts U.S. Soldiers”

1. RebeccaH Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 4:10 pm

   The Spanish dhimmis are only doing what their Muslim masters have directed them to do. That’s the only explanation I can come up with.

2. The_Real_JeffS Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 4:10 pm

   For what little it matters, I will not ever visit Spain. No need to put my money into their dhimmified purses.

3. Robert Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 4:46 pm

   When a Belgian Court indicted Tommy Franks, I was hoping he would show up.

   In an M1A Abrams.

   Heading a brigade of tanks.

   Drive the tank up the court house steps.

   Use the 105 to open the door.

   Pop the lid and say to the judge.

   “Go on punk, make my day.”

   We could arrange the same scenario for the Major and the Sargent

4. alphie Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 5:11 pm

   Theoretically, any civilian could be a “spotter.”

5. KAD Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 5:42 pm

   This is a case I was interested in and followed. While I agree the conduct of toth the judge and nation of Spain is disgusting, I am wondering what is the State Department doing in this case.

   Obviously, there strategy of quiet negotiations has not worked and Condi Rice’s State Department is clearly in need of a new direction. First off, the silence and no reply, case closed mutterings is allowing the enemies of these soldiers to continue to smear them without fear of consequences. It is time to respond forcefully, consider withdrawing the ambassador for consultations and ridiculing the judge. For instance, the judge was on a three judge panel that ruled that the incident was an accident of war and dropped the case. This sensible decision was overruled by the leftists on Spain’s supreme court. Our ambassador could honestly ask “what is your final answer, stupid judge?”

   We could also consider bringing a lawsuit against the judge for defamation of character. It is time to raise the stakes.

   In the Italian case, Mario Lozano has decided to take a more public stand and refute the charges. I like this approach, because the Italian prosecutors bragged to a leftist Rome paper how they did not append the US military report to their investigation. In other word, no exculpatory information was allowed, against kangaroo court rules I guess.

   Lozano will probably be convicted but at least he will get his story out. It is time to fight this battle more openly. This is a smear campaign against our soldiers. It’s time for the Pentagon to get mad and the State Department to get busy and mean.

6. Gary Ogletree Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 5:46 pm

   Jules, I would love to see you go to Madrid and raise a little hell.

7. Bill's Bites Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 5:50 pm

   2007.04.27 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup

   See previous: 2007.04.26 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup General Petraeus’s Briefing John Hinderaker General David Petraeus gave a press briefing in Washington this morning. You may have seen news accounts of it; the headline generally was…

8. bdfaith Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

   Your site’s rejecting my trackbacks again. I excerpted and linked at Bill’s Bites >> 2007.04.27 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup. Followed your day by day invasion posts closely, hope our guys come out of this OK.

9. RebeccaH Says:
   April 27th, 2007 at 7:18 pm

   Regretably, the Spanish government still hasn’t taken me up on my offer to testify.

   Neither the Spanish courts, nor the Spanish government, are interested in actual facts. It wouldn’t suit their agenda, which is to appease the new Islamic owners of al-Andalus.

   The practical aspect of this whole shameful exercise is that LTC deCamp, Major Wolford, and Sgt. Gibson are effectively imprisoned within the borders of their own country, probably to the detriment of their careers. If they should venture out, they would be subject to arrest by any zealous agent of the Spanish Court. This is a state of affairs that would not be tolerated by the United States government, were we not saddled with our own disgraceful excuse of a state department.

   Spanish products will join French products on my list of imported goods to avoid, and my list of countries to denigrate at every opportunity. Pendejos, the lot of them.

10. alphie Says:
    April 27th, 2007 at 8:04 pm

    I’m sure the French and Spanish troops fighting in al Qeada in Afghanistan will be saddened by the loss of your support, Reb.

11. OldManTyme Says:
    April 27th, 2007 at 8:14 pm

    …I’m sure the French and Spanish troops fighting in al Qeada in Afghanistan will be saddened by the loss of your support, Reb….

    There aren’t any Spanish or French troops fighting in al Qeada (sic) in Afghanistan, alphie. They are fighting against your side, not for it.

12. alphie Says:
    April 27th, 2007 at 8:26 pm

    Not hard enough to earn Reb’s approval though, OMT.

13. The_Real_JeffS Says:
    April 27th, 2007 at 10:15 pm

    THE ALPHTARD ignores the honorable service by LTC deCamp, Maj. Philip Wolford and Sgt. Shawn Gibson, which is at least as honorable as the Spanish and French troops in Afghanistan.

    That THE ALPHTARD does so is by no means surprising, given that THE ALPHTARD has declared his position, loudly and clearly.

    THE ALPHTARD CARRIES!!!! THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD NEEDS HIM!!!

14. KAD Says:
    April 28th, 2007 at 7:25 am

    One observation: I notice that this story quickly fades. I’m glad for the soldiers involved, no need for their names to be smeared. However, our little Spanish judge got some needed publicity. I doubt the Spanish government approves of this.

    So….would a better strategy be to make a big stink over this. Have the soldiers do the interview circuit. Imagine if you had to depend on Condi Rice’s State Department. to defend your honolr. In fact the strategy looks more and more like the Bush strategy of never fight back, never defend.

    I think it’s time to put the little judge on defense.

15. AW1 Tim Says:
    April 28th, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    And in related news: “Spanish authorities report that Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.”

    Jules could go to Spain if he wished, but that idiot judge would probably have him arrested as a witness who refused to stop the US Soldiers.

    I dearly love Spain, I did two tours there. The Spanish people are, for the most part, very nice, charming, the food is great, and so is the wine. And yet, they get idiots like these running the judicial system.

    Maybe it’s those hot, dusty summers……..

    respects,

16. The Thunder Run Says:
    April 28th, 2007 at 8:32 pm

    Web Reconnaissance for 04/28/2007

    A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
    This is the Weekend Edition of the Web Reconnaissance it is updated periodically throughout the weekend as time and family permits.

17. Jack is Back Says:
    April 29th, 2007 at 12:03 pm

    They can’t solve their own home grown terrorism so in order to show their ‘cajones’ they pick on the one country that has ‘cajones’. All of these socialistic secular governments such as Spain, Belgium, France, Italy and Netherlands have their own specious species of jurists that practice Napoleanic type law rather than our Common Law based constitutional system. They are investigator, prosecutor, judge and jury all wrapped up in one. Actually, in Spain, it is possible to indict, arrest, try and convict a “ham” sandwich. Well, maybe not since it would be very offensive to the muslim population. They would rather it be put on a train and blow it up.

18. zirtaeb Says:
    December 8th, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Como nadie puede confiar en un artículo en el que se estan confundiendo los nombres de los muertos. Como nadie puede ser tan estúpido de decir que todos los periodistas del hotel Palestine mienten. Como nadie puede negar evidencias gráficas de aquel día. Como se atreve nadie a negar el trabajo de un cámara en el útimo momento de su vida.
    not Cuoso
    not Anguito
    nobody was killed with this names.
    “Like every non-Iraqi in Baghdad that day, Cuoso(Couso) chose to put himself in harm’s way.”
    USA was fitting against iraqi or journalist?
    ” For some reason, there doesn’t seem to be an investigation into Parrado’s death. ”
    Julio is dead in the middle of the battle
    “Regarding Wolford, Gibson and deCamp, I consider them friends, honorable men and good soldiers who do not deserve the insult and injury of murder charges for an accident of war.”
    regarding couso’s wife, brother, mother i consider them heroes, honorable persons, who do not deserve the insult an injury of a killed son, brother and husband.
    Spaniards are looking for justice.
    Wolford, Gibson and deCamp are freemen in USA, in the whole world, but not in Spain, I hope.

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