February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The fog of war is one thing. Being deliberately blind to the obvious is another. The video clips clearly show acts that, while they might be tragically commonplace on the streets of Baghdad, do not conform to either U.S. civilian law or military code.
Seeing no evil in this matter, while serious in its consequences, would pale if it turns out that investigators did not interview the individuals in the SUV from which the bullets flew.
That is the contention of a man named Rod Stoner who has presented himself to the Pat Finucane Center. Stoner has told the center that he was the “team leader” in the Aegis SUV when the shots were fired at civilian vehicles.
Stoner alleges that his efforts to tell his story have been ignored. Somebody in authority should clearly talk to this man, and soon.
At this juncture the PFC is clearly less than convinced that a full and proper inquiry was carried out by the army’s Criminal Investigation Division.
We are also less than convinced and it is likely that such concerns will be shared by more than one member of Congress in the coming days.
Aegis, headed by ex-Scots Guards commander Tim Spicer, is spending U.S. taxpayer dollars in Iraq by the tens of millions. Those who pay the taxes that fund the company’s operations deserve the truth, no matter how disturbing or inconvenient it might turn out to be.
The army speaks of an “investigative effort.” Others are now talking of a cover-up. There is one heck of a gap between the two.