Posted on Sep 8, 2015
"Colonel: Soldiers Should Not 'Impose' On All Afghan Customs, Including Child Rape"
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From: Breitbart
United States soldiers should tolerate all Afghan customs, even if they go against American moral values, suggested Col. Steve Johnson, referring to a decorated Green Beret who has been reprimanded by the U.S. Army for “striking” a child rapist in Afghanistan back in September 2011.
“You cannot try to impose American values and American norms onto the Afghan culture because they’re completely different… We can report and we can encourage them,” Col. Johnson told The News Tribune. “We do not have any power or the ability to use our hands to compel them to be what we see as morally better.”
The practice of influential men using underage boys as their sexual patterns, known as “Bacha Bazi,” is an illegal but common custom in Afghanistan.
Sgt. First Class (SFC) Charles Martland, the Green Beret, is expected to be kicked out of the Army by November 1.
Johnson’s comments drew the ire of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) who, along with severRep. Al Green (D-TX) Beret veterans, argues that the Army should not discharge Martland for standing up to the alleged rapist, identified as Afghan local police (ALP) commander Abdul Rahman.
The incident took place in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province.
Hunter, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, declared that the Army’s decision to dismiss Sgt. Martland shows the “moral decay” currently afflicting military leadership. Rep. Hunter told Breitbart News:
Martland’s experience shows the type of moral decay among certain aspects of military leadership—starting at the top. In fact, had he not intervened in my opinion, that should have been grounds for removal. At what point will Army leadership stand up for Martland for doing the right thing? Instead, they continue to hide behind a process that seems to makes most sense, in the case specifically, to an Afghan rapist who was happy to see Martland pulled from duty.
Rep. Hunter, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has written three letters to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter asking him to intervene in the Army’s case against the Green Beret, for the purpose of granting him his wish to continue serving in the U.S. Army.
Sgt. Martland admitted “striking” the alleged rapist accused of kidnapping, chaining, and raping a 12-year-old boy and then beating his mother for pleading for help. The local police commander reportedly laughed about committing the crimes.
Rep. Duncan Hunter disagrees with Col. Johnson’s comments about U.S. soldiers having to tolerate all Afghan customs even if they go against American moral values.
“It is, in fact, a fundamental duty for our military to project American power, strength, and values,”wrote the congressman in the most recent letter addressed to Sec. Carter, dated September 1. “The ALP commander’s action was a human rights violations—and SFC Martland was right to step in and attempt to protect the child from further harm.”
Duncan also noted that Col. Johnson, in talking to The News Tribune, claimed the alleged rapist was “an inch from his death” after he was assaulted by Sgt. Martland and Quinn.
A cultural adviser and linguist who witnessed the incident contradicted those allegations, telling the office of Rep. Hunter, on condition of anonymity, that the rapist exaggerated the nature of his wounds, adding that the provincial police chief “strongly condemned” the alleged rapist and suggested that “he should be dismissed, arrested and put away.”
The police chief commended Sgt. Martland for confronting the Afghan police commander who allegedly laughed when approached by Martland.
Prior to the September 2011 incident, Col. Steve Johnson commanded Sgt. Charles Martland when he was the commander in the Army’s 1st Special Forces Group.
Johnson was in Afghanistan when Martland and Capt. Daniel Quinn, his Green Beret team leader, approached Rahman for allegedly kidnapping, chaining, and raping a 12-year-old boy and then beating his mother for reaching out to the Green Berets for help.
The Army reprimanded Martland and Quinn, relieving them from their duties in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province where the incident took place back in 2011.
Quinn has since taken a private sector job in New York. Sgt. Martland is fighting to stay in the military.
Sgt. Martland is now facing involuntary discharge from the Army.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Army and the public affairs office for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, citing the Privacy Act, told Breitbart News that the Army was unable to confirm whether or not the September 2011 incident is linked to its decision to remove Martland.
When Breitbart News asked for a comment on accusations that the Army had chosen to side with the rapist instead of Sgt. Martland, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said, “The Privacy Act prevents us from releasing any additional information about the administrative action taken regarding this topic.”
When the 2011 incident occurred, Sgt. Martland was serving with an elite Joint Base Lewis-McChord unit.
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/09/02/colonel-u-s-soldiers-should-not-impose-on-all-afghan-customs-including-child-rape/
United States soldiers should tolerate all Afghan customs, even if they go against American moral values, suggested Col. Steve Johnson, referring to a decorated Green Beret who has been reprimanded by the U.S. Army for “striking” a child rapist in Afghanistan back in September 2011.
“You cannot try to impose American values and American norms onto the Afghan culture because they’re completely different… We can report and we can encourage them,” Col. Johnson told The News Tribune. “We do not have any power or the ability to use our hands to compel them to be what we see as morally better.”
The practice of influential men using underage boys as their sexual patterns, known as “Bacha Bazi,” is an illegal but common custom in Afghanistan.
Sgt. First Class (SFC) Charles Martland, the Green Beret, is expected to be kicked out of the Army by November 1.
Johnson’s comments drew the ire of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) who, along with severRep. Al Green (D-TX) Beret veterans, argues that the Army should not discharge Martland for standing up to the alleged rapist, identified as Afghan local police (ALP) commander Abdul Rahman.
The incident took place in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province.
Hunter, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, declared that the Army’s decision to dismiss Sgt. Martland shows the “moral decay” currently afflicting military leadership. Rep. Hunter told Breitbart News:
Martland’s experience shows the type of moral decay among certain aspects of military leadership—starting at the top. In fact, had he not intervened in my opinion, that should have been grounds for removal. At what point will Army leadership stand up for Martland for doing the right thing? Instead, they continue to hide behind a process that seems to makes most sense, in the case specifically, to an Afghan rapist who was happy to see Martland pulled from duty.
Rep. Hunter, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has written three letters to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter asking him to intervene in the Army’s case against the Green Beret, for the purpose of granting him his wish to continue serving in the U.S. Army.
Sgt. Martland admitted “striking” the alleged rapist accused of kidnapping, chaining, and raping a 12-year-old boy and then beating his mother for pleading for help. The local police commander reportedly laughed about committing the crimes.
Rep. Duncan Hunter disagrees with Col. Johnson’s comments about U.S. soldiers having to tolerate all Afghan customs even if they go against American moral values.
“It is, in fact, a fundamental duty for our military to project American power, strength, and values,”wrote the congressman in the most recent letter addressed to Sec. Carter, dated September 1. “The ALP commander’s action was a human rights violations—and SFC Martland was right to step in and attempt to protect the child from further harm.”
Duncan also noted that Col. Johnson, in talking to The News Tribune, claimed the alleged rapist was “an inch from his death” after he was assaulted by Sgt. Martland and Quinn.
A cultural adviser and linguist who witnessed the incident contradicted those allegations, telling the office of Rep. Hunter, on condition of anonymity, that the rapist exaggerated the nature of his wounds, adding that the provincial police chief “strongly condemned” the alleged rapist and suggested that “he should be dismissed, arrested and put away.”
The police chief commended Sgt. Martland for confronting the Afghan police commander who allegedly laughed when approached by Martland.
Prior to the September 2011 incident, Col. Steve Johnson commanded Sgt. Charles Martland when he was the commander in the Army’s 1st Special Forces Group.
Johnson was in Afghanistan when Martland and Capt. Daniel Quinn, his Green Beret team leader, approached Rahman for allegedly kidnapping, chaining, and raping a 12-year-old boy and then beating his mother for reaching out to the Green Berets for help.
The Army reprimanded Martland and Quinn, relieving them from their duties in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province where the incident took place back in 2011.
Quinn has since taken a private sector job in New York. Sgt. Martland is fighting to stay in the military.
Sgt. Martland is now facing involuntary discharge from the Army.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Army and the public affairs office for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, citing the Privacy Act, told Breitbart News that the Army was unable to confirm whether or not the September 2011 incident is linked to its decision to remove Martland.
When Breitbart News asked for a comment on accusations that the Army had chosen to side with the rapist instead of Sgt. Martland, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said, “The Privacy Act prevents us from releasing any additional information about the administrative action taken regarding this topic.”
When the 2011 incident occurred, Sgt. Martland was serving with an elite Joint Base Lewis-McChord unit.
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/09/02/colonel-u-s-soldiers-should-not-impose-on-all-afghan-customs-including-child-rape/
Army
Afghanistan
Customs and Courtesies
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 151
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You want to know why the Taliban is making a comeback? Because the people in power like the ANA and ANP are raping and stealing from the people they are supposed to protect. Somebody calls up the Taliban and they go in and attack them. Then the victims think that the only ones that stand for justice is the Taliban, so they support them. I have seen it first hand. Heck I support anybody that will punish pedophiles and rapist.
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Well this is a tough situation. We are founded on the basis that we are melting pot of other cultures. Not all cultures however agree or get along (obviously) so at some point being tolerant of one means not being tolerant of another. We are there now.
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LCDR Rabbi Jaron Matlow - This is very troubling. Our military personnel should never ignore criminal behavior, regardless of where they are.
Even if deemed acceptable in a different culture, condoning it by our forces is not acceptable and the chain of command should have taken steps to stop it, at least where our troops could be aware of it.
Even if deemed acceptable in a different culture, condoning it by our forces is not acceptable and the chain of command should have taken steps to stop it, at least where our troops could be aware of it.
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I will tell you that we used to joke about "man love Thursdays" when I was in NTC Adraskan. But I cannot say that we ever caught anyone or suspected any one person engaged in any sex acts. It was not until I was transferred to FOB Shouz that it seemed to have gone on. We allowed Afghan Staff Officers to have individual rooms as opposed to barracks style for them. The commander of FOB Shouz CPT Ken Bath and those of us with DynCorp suspected that something was going on when Afghan Staff Officers began moving additional bunks in their already small rooms.
We had spoken openly about what we suspected and CPT Bath decided that we would no longer allow Afghan Staff Officers to have rooms by themselves. They shared the barracks with their men. Of course this caused issues with some of them, especially one commander from Herat Province. He was the most vocal about not having a room to himself. He complained so much so that he reported the "embarrassing" accommodations to his staff. We were questioned about why they were not afforded private rooms. Kudos to CPT Bath for standing up for what was right. The Afghans were not given private rooms. We did put up a blanket separating the Afghan Staff Officers from the lower enlisted men. They still weren't happy but it remained.
We had spoken openly about what we suspected and CPT Bath decided that we would no longer allow Afghan Staff Officers to have rooms by themselves. They shared the barracks with their men. Of course this caused issues with some of them, especially one commander from Herat Province. He was the most vocal about not having a room to himself. He complained so much so that he reported the "embarrassing" accommodations to his staff. We were questioned about why they were not afforded private rooms. Kudos to CPT Bath for standing up for what was right. The Afghans were not given private rooms. We did put up a blanket separating the Afghan Staff Officers from the lower enlisted men. They still weren't happy but it remained.
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Here is a shining opportunity to show the populace that we are trying to do good. We can protect the kids & mothers from those that are perpetrating this. Instead, when a soldier tries to defend the mother & child, he is unceremoniously discharged.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Cpl James Waycasie - it is the PC world. God forbid you do something that might offend someones delicate senses. This is why we are being viewed as growing more and more weak. We have shifted to appearing to stand for nothing but warfare for warfare's sake. It seems that we no longer conduct military operations because a nation/population is oppressed.
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SSgt (Join to see)
The PC thing is a weapon and it is brandished with fury just for sport. In otherwords, PC is their weapon of Mass Destruction.
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Cpl James Waycasie
TSgt (Join to see) - Lol, here's you another one to vote down. I guess that makes you feel manly huh?
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I remember when I was doing some work with an NGO in India that we had issues with how the men would treat the women. We were briefed to keep our damn mouths shut because we had a job to do and we weren't going to fix anything by running it. It was a painful reality to know that shitty things happen and getting involved would sabotage the mission. Change had to come slowly.
That said, yeah, this shit should not be happening on our watch. Not on our bases and not by men we put in charge of the villages they preyed on. Those men did the right thing and in some cases, should have been commended for their restraint.
That said, yeah, this shit should not be happening on our watch. Not on our bases and not by men we put in charge of the villages they preyed on. Those men did the right thing and in some cases, should have been commended for their restraint.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Never condoned and surprising in places like Africa and the Middle East their own women are striking back. But this is not done in a vacuum and these wars against women are cowardly. Even Al Jazeera did a piece on Jordan.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
Cpl James Waycasie - I'm with you all the way. I recently guided a young Afghan war vet who was on the verge of cashing in his chips due to PTSD and which was exacerbated by his dealings with the VA. I directed him through my state's VocRehab program and he is now happily attending our local university and studying computer engineering. He recently texted me his gratitude for helping him begin a new life. I hope we can all do that for one of our fellow vets who struggle mightily to reintegrate their lives with solid values.
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Cpl James Waycasie
CPO Andy Carrillo, MS - That is outstanding! Great to hear one is doing so well and may God bless you for caring so much. This world would be a lot better off if everyone else had the same approach to helping.
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Capt Seid Waddell
CPO Andy Carrillo, MS, sorry I can only give one up-vote for you!
You saved a life!
You saved a life!
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
Capt Seid Waddell - He was actually a close friend of and referred to me by my step-son (anti-military), but who trusted I would guide his friend through the red tape, so it was a team effort! Having one good friend who cares enough may be enough.
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This is why the Bush administration was wrong in not applying the Geneva Convention. A crime is a crime is a crime. To stand there and do nothing is just as bad, what did this Colonel do apply the Nurnberg Defense? Please drum him out of the service quickly, break his sword and turn our back on him forever. I cannot tolerate someone who supports rape in way shape or form. A quick search led me to find this in the Quran:
[Quran 5:5] …….. You shall maintain CHASTITY, not committing adultery, nor taking secret lovers. Anyone who rejects faith, all his work will be in vain, and in the Hereafter he will be with the losers.
[Quran 24:30] Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their CHASTITY. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
[Quran 24:31] And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their CHASTITY.
[2:191] Oppression (rape) is looked upon worse than murder.
[Quran 24:33] ……..You shall not force your girls to commit prostitution, seeking the materials of this world, if they wish to be chaste. If anyone forces them, then God, seeing that they are forced, is Forgiver, Merciful.
Tradition: Well the Prophet's outlook on rape...During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, a rapist was punished based on only the testimony of the victim. Wa'il ibn Hujr reported that a womam publicly identified a man who had raped her. The people caught the man and brought him to the Prophet Muhammad. He told the woman to go, that she was not to be blamed, and ordered that the man be put to death.
In another case, a woman brought her infant to the mosque and publicly spoke about the rape that had resulted in her pregnancy.
Reference: http://islam.about.com/od/crime/f/rape.htm
Also Afghanistan is slowly starting to prosecute rape as a crime.
http://thediplomat.com/2014/11/afghanistan-finally-prosecutes-rapes/
When confronted, the accused admitted the crime to the Caliph Umar who ordered his punishment. The woman was not punished.
[Quran 5:5] …….. You shall maintain CHASTITY, not committing adultery, nor taking secret lovers. Anyone who rejects faith, all his work will be in vain, and in the Hereafter he will be with the losers.
[Quran 24:30] Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their CHASTITY. This is purer for them. God is fully Cognizant of everything they do.
[Quran 24:31] And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their CHASTITY.
[2:191] Oppression (rape) is looked upon worse than murder.
[Quran 24:33] ……..You shall not force your girls to commit prostitution, seeking the materials of this world, if they wish to be chaste. If anyone forces them, then God, seeing that they are forced, is Forgiver, Merciful.
Tradition: Well the Prophet's outlook on rape...During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, a rapist was punished based on only the testimony of the victim. Wa'il ibn Hujr reported that a womam publicly identified a man who had raped her. The people caught the man and brought him to the Prophet Muhammad. He told the woman to go, that she was not to be blamed, and ordered that the man be put to death.
In another case, a woman brought her infant to the mosque and publicly spoke about the rape that had resulted in her pregnancy.
Reference: http://islam.about.com/od/crime/f/rape.htm
Also Afghanistan is slowly starting to prosecute rape as a crime.
http://thediplomat.com/2014/11/afghanistan-finally-prosecutes-rapes/
When confronted, the accused admitted the crime to the Caliph Umar who ordered his punishment. The woman was not punished.
What Does Islam Say About Rape?
What does Islam say about rape? What is the law, and what is the punishment?
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Just because its been accepted for a 1000's years doesn't mean its OK to stand down and allow it to happen. Beating and raping women and children only repeats the cycle of this type of behavior and the people there are either to chicken shit or dumb to stop it. SFC Charles Martland did the right thing and everyone knows it but again on our side senior leaders are to chicken shit to stand up for what is right. Condoning the raping of children should never be allowed no matter the circumstance. If we are talking about Afghan customs they also have the known custom of using intimidation and force by corrupt officials to manufacture a belief system that makes people submit to their authority without questioning the merit - I think Martland was just speaking their language using an approach they know all to well - force. This is a shame this has gone this far -
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