The Laughing Wolf

Great News: Col. Tim Collins Cleard?!

Great news, brought to my attention by my Blogfather: Col. Tim Collins, who gave one of the best pre-battle speaches ever, has been/will be cleared of war crimes charges. Now the question is, why were they brought in the first place?

A companion article in the Daily Telegraph claims that the charges by an American military officer, were motivated by revenge. The article states that Army Major Re Biastre, a reservest who is a high school guidance counselor and part-time policeman, filed the charges after an altercation with Collins. The article also claims that the formal complaint was based entirely on second hand (third hand?) information.

If so, why was the report even accepted? Why was it deemed needful of follow-up? A quick field investigation should have been the norm, to check the complaint and see if a formal inquiry was needed. Where did this important check and balance go?

Why was the Colonel hung out to dry? Now that evidence appears to exhonerate him on this charge, and the story is getting a lot of critical attention by blogs and a few outlets that still practice journalism (The Holy Media seems to still be missing the boat on this one), will he indeed be hung out to dry? Almost no matter what, it will affect his career. Formal charges always do, even when the person is cleared. It is not fair, but it is the way things are done.

Now my question is, will there be a formal investigation into Major Biastre and his charges? If not, why not? For there really should be a field investigation and if there is any chance that this is a case of throwing mud by a REMF motivated by political or personal reasons, then there damn well should be a formal inquiry. The Army owes it to our allies, to Major Biastre, and most of all, it owes it to our troops. Clear the air, now.

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