You have not heard of Ian Fishback, but you can be sure the Army and Defense Department know his name very well. You can also be sure that when his name is mentioned by the brass it is with a sneer or a grimace. Fishback is not a team-player, and not being a team-player doesn't win an officer many friends even if the officer is motivated by high moral purpose. Fishback has chosen the harder right by persistently reporting prisoner abuse in Iraq. His charges implicates other officers, which fundamentally contradicts the Pentagon's assertion that there are only a few (thousand) bad apples.
What to expect next? Of course, there will be further investigation, but the evidence with turn out to be inadequate or too old or just plain wrong. The West Point graduate first made his charges well more than a year ago, and he was blown off by his chain of command. Fishback, meantime, will draw the "appropriate" conclusion and leave the Army and the calumny that the abuse of prisoners has systemic roots be once again quelled. Team-players will prevail.
Officer Criticizes Detainee Abuse Inquiry - New York Times: "An Army captain who reported new allegations of detainee abuse in Iraq said Tuesday that Army investigators seemed more concerned about tracking down young soldiers who reported misconduct than in following up the accusations and investigating whether higher-ranking officers knew of the abuses. "
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