Comments for Colonel (R) Karpinski says "See? Told ya so!"

Colonel (R) Karpinski says "See? Told ya so!"

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:50:36 -0600

Retired Colonel (formerly Brigadier General) Janis Karpinski is out to rehab her reputation. She said she was a scapegoat. She said she was just following orders. She said she was demoted unfairly.Retired Army Col. Janis Karpinski was one of two officers punished over Abu Ghraib.Now, retired Army Col. Janis Karpinski can say: I told you so.Karpinski was one of two officers punished over the aggressive interrogations at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Pictures of detainees caused outrage around the world when they were leaked to the news media in May 2004. The photos showed naked prisoners stacked on top...

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:10:25 -0600

John,

"AR 15-80 is, I think, the governing regulation - but I'm not now, nor have I ever been, and officer of the Adjutant General or Judge Advocate General's Corps... so ya can't hold me to it."

That may be, but have you ever stayed at a Holiday Inn Express? :)

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:02:55 -0600

Foxfier - I can only assume (accepting there were no other factors in play in either case) that your buddie's superiors gigged him in some fashion that carried through to the promotion process.

In Colonel Karpinski's case, nothing about the incident made it into her official files that would be seen by promotion boards. And her neglecting to mention the arrest on her vetting paperwork caused it to slip by then, too. However, despite the possible injustice to your buddy, the mere fact of her apprehension should not have been a disqualifier for Karpinski, any more than it should be a disqualifier on a security clearance. The circumstances may need to be looked into, and from that, other conclusions can be drawn.

In her case, her failure to disclose tainted her approval, and allowed an administrative vacation of her promotion.

That said, she didn't have enough time-in-grade to retire in grade without a waiver, and her performance in grade probably would have cost her the waiver anyway. AR 15-80 is, I think, the governing regulation - but I'm not now, nor have I ever been, and officer of the Adjutant General or Judge Advocate General's Corps... so ya can't hold me to it.

Comment from Foxfier on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:46:35 -0600

I had a buddy when I was in that was accused of shoplifting-- they had it on video of him going through a bunch of trading cards, finding the *only one* that was of the type he wanted, seeing it was open and mentioning it at the check out. The tape clearly showed he did not alter the package in any way, shape or form.

They accused him of shoplifting because there were eight cards inside, and the other packs-- of a different company, let alone type-- only had six.

Despite it never going to court, he couldn't get promoted after that; it was only because he had a perfect record prior that he didn't get kicked out.

If a lowly NCO gets treated like that, how can an officer get off?

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:27:54 -0600

Well, in her defense, the shoplifting thing was dismissed without a furor.

Guess that leaves she wants to remind us of her failures as a leader.

Comment from BillT on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:23:33 -0600

Janis Karpinski is out to rehab her reputation.

As what --

a. an incompetent officer or

b. a shoplifter?

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:04:31 -0600

Mongo,

   I concur with everything you said. However, what chaps me even more, is the attitude taken regarding this affair by our own media and leftist waaaambulance chasers, when 100X worse was being done to our own folks by AQ, the Taliban, and other sick Mike-Foxtrots, and it was somehow inferred that THEY were comparable to our own "munite men" and "freedom fighters".

   Somehow we held to account for the slightest imagined variance from the Geneva Accords, when every single nation that we have fought against, whether a signatory or not, has routinely disregarded those same protections. Where is the outrage?

   Yes indeed, we should prosecute all the numbnutz that took part in this real-life scandal. However, the faux horror and outrage over that same affair by the elites and pandering leftists in this nation sickens me more than the idiots who got relieved and jailed for their actions.

Comment from Cpl Mongo on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:46:26 -0600

ps.
One might be tempted to think while reading my above post that my disgust of these troops might extend to other US Army personel. One would be wrong in thinking so. Marines are my brothers. Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen are my cousins and I love and respect them. Together we are a team. These pukes don't rate to be waterboys.

Comment from Foxfier on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:40:20 -0600

It doesn't have to be true.

All she has to do is say it-- not like there will be any cost to her, and it might get her something back.

There are reasons I've got grave reservations about women in the Service-- most of them from when I was one!

Comment from AFSister on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:31:02 -0600

Sorry, but when I read that article yesterday, all I could think of was "You whining, sniveling neener-neener isn't gonna work on me, beyotch".

I still feel the same way today. Sleeping on it did not change my mind. beyotch.

Comment from Cpl Mongo on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:29:15 -0600

Ditto. These were not warriors running this jail. They were poges and flunkies. They brought shame and dishonor to their branch and their country.
My Marine brothers and I did not fight these terrorists into submission just to hand them over to a bunch of pukes who chewed paint as kids. To hell with this incompetent Col. and all her minions. They did more harm in the psyops department than we will ever know and might have lost this war for us if it had not been for the outstanding work of the true warriors in that theater.
Prisoners don't need to get tea and cookies. They are the enemy. If they might have usefull intel by all means interrogate. What these twisted creaps did was for their own amusement. And the OIC was brought down becose she was running a circus not a prison.
/ rant off

Comment from XBradTC on 2009-04-23

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:40:55 -0600

She can say "I told you so..." but that doesn't make it, well, so.

You are right. She should have been releived. Long before Seymour Hersh came into the picture. As soon as the Army leadership learned of the stunning breakdown in good order and discipline at Abu Grahib, she should have been releived. Her actions prior to, during, and since this incident have been appalling.

Of course, she has a point that there are institutional problems. But not what she thinks they are. The system that allowed her to be considered for promotion to Brigadier General has something seriously wrong with it when a criminal charge is completely overlooked. And I find it somewhat difficult to beleive that it wasn't until she held a command at the General officer level that she displayed the lack of leadership that resulted in the debacle at Abu Grahib. Someone should be fired for not firing Col. Karpinski sooner.