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Another Embarrasment For The Military Police Branch And The Army Reserves
This entry was posted on 4/26/2007 8:29 PM and is filed under Military Commentary.
Wow! What can I say? After the debacle at Abu G, wherein the responsible MP Commander, no less than a USAR Brigadier General, attempted to pass the buck onto everyone but herself for her pathetic lack of leadership , you'd think the MP's, and the USAR, would have cleaned up their act. However, with the arrest of Lt. Col Steele, it certainly appears that the USAR still thinks "this whole Global War On Terrorism thing" is nothing more than an extension of the welfare state wherein, regardless of performance, you're guaranteed a job, and can spend all of your time working on OER's and sleeping with detainees daughters, rather than focusing on the actual business of helping the Active Component prosecute the GWOT. Of course, to quote the great Buck Turgedson, "I'd hate to judge before all the facts are in..."
However if proven true, can you imagine what must have been going through Steele's mind?!? Man! To give detainees in a prison unfettered access to an unmonitored cell phone, in exchange for a little "bow chica, bow, bow" with one of the detainees daughters, is downright treasonous. Afterall, an Iraqi prison is just like an American one except that rather than being a graduate school for criminals it's a graduate school for terrorists within which they network, trade IED and ambush ideas and I'm sure have an office pool wherin they bet on which guard they can make cry first. I wonder how all the Eleven Bravos feel about this idiot. For all we know, Steele may have unwittingly, or even wittingly, helped detainees coordinate IED attacks on the area security forces when they left the wire. I can see it now:
Ring, ring, ring...
Detainee: "Hello Achmed...Salam, the Americans, they are leaving the wire now."
Achmed: "Salam, Who is this?"
Detainee: "Who is this! It's Abu Zaphel, that's who it is you dummy. Have you already forgotten the sound of my voice?"
Achmed: "Zaphel, I heard you were in the hoosegow? What are you doing talking to me?"
Detainee: "The American Colonel, he is a weak man, he wants a little Bow Chica, so I promised him my daughter, the one with the red hair, green eyes and the chest you could do pull ups on. In return, he's given me a cell phone, some American Porn, which is crap by the way because everyone knows the best porn comes from Jordan, and some French cigarettes which I've traded for two cartons of Miami's."
Achmed: "Nooooo!"
Detainee: "Yes. I swear upon the Prophet himself."
Achmed: "Wait, you idiot, they'll track this call! You've killed me you moron!"
Detainee: "Nooooo! Don't worry, I've got it covered, you're safe. This Colonel keeps mumbling about his OER Support form being overdue, he gave my daughter the money to buy the phone and she bought one from a KBR employee, it's untraceable. Anyway, I want to tell you, I can tell you whenever the Americans leave the gate, I'll call you, just have the VBIED ready... You can zap them as they come out, or, simply pay another Sunni schmuck $200 to emplace a 155 round on the side of the road tonight, we hear the Americans won't shoot at anyone digging on the side of the road anymore, even at night..."
Achmed: "I'm skeptical..."
Detainee: "O.K., listen, I'll call the next three times they come out, you just put someone on the side of the road, they can pretend their car is broken down. Have them remember the times the Americans came out, then you two can compare notes, if I'm right, and I will be, set up the ambush."
Achmed: "Hmmm..."
Detainee: "Look, Achmed, I'm only calling you because we go way back, I could call anyone with this info and they would jump on it! There are plenty who will want the good press... So do you want in, or not? Because I've got Fallad on speed dial."
Achmed: "O.K., O.K., I'm in... You start calling me in two days...let me know everytime they leave the wire...Then, I'll confirm your info. Who knows, if you're right, maybe we can work something out. Now, I've got to go to prayers, the Imam is really on me because he doesn't think I've done enough lately in fighting the infidels. Heck, I miss the good old days when you could simply lob a few mortar rounds at their camp and the Imam would leave you alone for a month... Do you need anything?"
Detainee: "No, I've got everything I need and everyone, who is someone, is in here with me. We're having a great time playing with the Americans. Tomorrow, we're going to pretend they've stolen our Korans again, you should watch them run around when we do that! Hey, it's lunch time, I've got to go. Bye."
Achmed: "Bye."
In summation, UNBELIEVABLE!!! I always knew the USAR was substandard...but this is really mind blowing. The charges, as released by MNCI, are below.
April 26, 2007
Charges Against Lt. Col. William H. Steele
The Charges Against Steele:
RELEASE No. 20070426-01
April 26, 2007
Charges announced
Multi-National Corps - Iraq PAO
Baghdad, Iraq- Lt. Col. William H. Steele has been charged with offenses under the provisions of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.
These charges are merely an accusation of wrongdoing. Lt. Col. Steele is presumed innocent unless and until he his proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of any alleged offense.
CHARGE I: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 104
Specification: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 1 October 2005 and 31 October 2006, aid the enemy by providing an unmonitored cellular phone to detainees.
CHARGE II: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 134
Specification: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did between on or about 31 October 2006 and 22 February 2007, having unauthorized possession of classified information, violate Title 18, United States Code, Section 793(e), by knowingly and willfully retaining the same and failing to deliver it to the officer or employee of the United States.
CHARGE III: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 133
Specification 1: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 20 October 2005 and 22 February 2007, knowingly and wrongfully fraternize with the daughter of a detainee, wherein such acts constituted conduct unbecoming an officer in the armed forces.
Specification 2: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 1 December 2005 and 11 December 2006, knowingly and wrongfully provide special privileges to and maintain an inappropriate relationship with an interpreter, wherein such acts constituted conduct unbecoming an officer in the armed forces.
CHARGE IV: Violation of the UCMJ, Article 92
Specification 1: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 18 February 2007 and 21 February 2007, violate a lawful general regulation, to wit: paragraph 7-4, Army Regulation 380-5, dated 29 September 2000, by wrongfully and knowingly storing classified information in his living space.
Specification 2: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 1 September 2006 and 21 February 2007, violate a lawful general regulation, to wit: paragraph 4-32, Army Regulation 380-5, dated 29 September 2000, by improperly marking classified information.
Specification 3: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, having knowledge of a lawful order issued by the 89th Military Police Brigade Deputy Commander, did, at or near Camp Victory, Iraq, on or about 22 February 2007, fail to obey the order.
Specification 4: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, did, between on or about 18 February 2007 and 21 February 2007, violate a lawful general order, to wit: paragraph 2e, Multi-National Corps-Iraq General Order Number 1, dated 16 December 2006, by wrongfully and knowingly possessing pornographic videos.
Specification 5: In that Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele, between on or about 1 October 2005 and 31 October 2006, was derelict in the performance of his duties in that he willfully failed to fulfill his obligations as an approving authority in the expenditure of Field Ordering Officer funds.
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James Hutton
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Public Affairs Officer
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