[Eight Ace]

Make him talk: US colonel 'fired gun to scare Iraqi'
October 30, 2003 - 10:56AM

A black colonel in the US army faces a court martial, and up to eight years in prison, after he allegedly frightened an Iraqi into revealing details of an impending attack by reportedly firing a pistol next to his head.

Army sources confirmed that Lieutenant Colonel Allen B West of the Fourth Infantry Division has been charged with aggravated assault, and faces either a court martial, or being forced to resign early, losing retirement benefits.

The charges have been criticised by soldiers in the field, who pointed to the intense dangers faced in the Sunni triangle near Tikrit, including an assassination plot reportedly aimed at Col West, an artillery officer.

In an email to the Washington Times newspaper, Col West admitted to participating in the interrogation of an Iraqi policeman, identified by an informer as involved in attacks on US forces.

Determined to pry information about an impending sniper attack from the policeman, Col West said he took personal charge of the interrogation, warning subordinates that "it could get ugly".

In his email, Col West said two of his soldiers did "physically aggress" the policeman. When that failed, he threatened the detained man with his 9mm pistol, and fired it twice.

He wrote: "Once I fired into the weapons clearing barrel outside the facility alone, and the next time I did it while having his head close to the barrel. I stood in between the firing and his person. I admit that what I did was not right, but it was done with the concern of the safety of my soldiers and myself."

Col West said he had informed his superiors of his actions, and that he heard nothing more until army chiefs carried out a broader inquiry into the "command-climate" of his brigade.

Col West's wife, Angela, speaking from her home in Fort Hood, Texas, told The Daily Telegraph: "This is very distressing."

The Telegraph, London
rolleyes:

*notice they point out the Col.West is black....oh, I guess it's gang related then....