Winds of Change.NET: Releasing the Generals

September 17, 2003

Releasing the Generals

by Joe Katzman at September 17, 2003 3:50 AM

(N.B. The Generals were freed on Oct. 10th. Thanks so much to all who helped!)

I've long been a fan of Chief Wiggles, and now he's asking for our help. I'm asking my readers to consider his request, and pitch in. The Chief has become more and more frustrated by a situation he faces in Iraq, one that strikes me as both unwise and unjust.

During the war, many Iraqi commanders simply went home and melted back into the populace, dissolving their units. Some of them have since returned to organize attacks on Americans. Unless caught at that or killed, they remain home. Now contrast that with a set of brigadier generals and generals who surrendered honourably to American forces - 5 months later, they remained imprisoned indefinitely and separated from their families. Some unquestionably deserve it. Yet others were never Republican Guards, have committed no crimes against the Iraqi people, are not strongly connected with the Iraqi regime (to the satisfaction of their interrogators, incl. The Chief), and are willing to assist with a reconstruction task that is both urgent and difficult.

Their continued imprisonment makes no sense to The Chief, and no sense to me. It sends absolutely the wrong messages. See also this Sept. 29th article about America's new security strategy in Iraq! The people they need to lead it are in The Chief's old prison - not the odious ex-Defense Minister Gen. Sultan Hashem Ahmed.

Here's how you can help....

These Iraqis come under military authority, and the commander in Iraq is Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez. My military and ex-military source also say the brass are likely to defer to the commander on the ground, so he's probably da man. I've done some research, and this address will reach him:

General Sanchez
CPA
Baghdad, Iraq

Postage should be $0.80-$1.55 for a simple air mail letter to Iraq, see this USPS calculator. You may also wish to use domestic mail and write to:

Donald H. Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Paul Wolfowitz
Deputy Secretary of Defense
1010 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1010

Or send comments to the Department of Defense via the web.

If you live in the USA, send both electronic messages and postal mail printouts. Physical mail is taken more seriously. Cap'n Spin says to include postage, and a return address.

If you don't live in the USA, understand that you start out at a disadvantage. Take even more care to be respectful, and if you can't say in your letter that you supported the war, don't mail it because sending it may hurt the generals' cause more than it helps. Sorry, that's just reality. If your email address doesn't clearly identify you as foreign, you may choose to use the comments link on DefenseLink.

Make your points respectfully, but firmly. If you supported the war, state that in the preamble. If we sound like International ANSWER, we may actually hurt their chances. This post should give you most of the ammo you need.

Key points I: Acknowledge that some of these men are bad people, and should be kept. But mention, too, that others [a] were not Republican Guard, [b] are not responsible for any crimes against the Iraqi people, [c] were not closely tied to Saddam, [d] had in many cases been hoping for the arrival of the Americans, and [e] are willing and qualified to play a helpful role in reconstruction. Those are the ones we want released.

Key points II: When those who surrendered and trusted the Americans' good faith remain imprisoned despite the absence of crimes committed against Americans or the Iraqi people, it sends the message that trusting the Americans is foolish. It also embitters their families, who could be natural allies. Neither outcome serves America's interests in Iraq.

The Capper: See this article about America's new security strategy in Iraq! The people they need to lead it are in The Chief's old prison - not the odious ex-Defense Minister Gen. Sultan Hashem Ahmed.

The Request: A simple review process that forces their keepers to justify each continued detention of surrendering senior Iraqi officers to the chain of command, with input required from their interrogators, would be helpful. You could also push more agressively to have these cases reviewed now, in preparation for the New Iraqi Security Strategy being drafted in the Pentagon.

Mentioning Your Source: You can mention that your source is an American in-country. I asked The Chief about letters that might identify him, and he said "I don't care about that at this point. I just want them released." While I admire the Chief for his attitude, the level of trouble it could cause him is such that I'd prefer if he wasn't mentioned by name or position.

Finally, if you want to support this campaign on your own blog, MedicMom has thoughtfully provided some buttons. Other submissions will also be posted here:

The insertion code is:

<a href="http://windsofchange.net/archives/004038.html"><img src="http://www.windsofchange.net/files/ftg-red.gif" alt="Free The Chief's Iraqi Generals" border="0"></a>

GIF filenames, in order: ftg-red.gif, ftg-white.gif, ftg-ltblue.gif, ftg-green.gif, ftg-yellow.gif, ftg-blue.gif

Thanks for helping. We'll keep you posted.

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"Releasing the Generals"

Tracked: September 25, 2003 12:46 PM

Help the Generals from Dean's World

Excerpt: Another project that Chief Wiggles is working on is a campaign to free wrongly-imprisoned Iraqi generals. Before you snarl about that you should go read...

Comments

#1 from Cap'n SPIN at 7:25 pm on Sep 17, 2003

Postal regs require postage - please do not forget postage, or first class mail (which is what you are sending) will be returned with a 'finger' (index) pointing at the return address. Include one of those (return address, not a finger) as well. This is a good thing Joe, and honorable as well. Outgoing mail from US Government offices is often mailed using either what is called an 'indicia', 'Official' postage, or as in the case of 'Officials' using the mail for 'official' business MAY use what is called the 'free-frank' privilege. I don't have THAT, do you? :o)

Keep up the good work, but I suggest you encourage POSTAGE, or the mail goes nowhere.

#2 from Dishman at 7:45 pm on Sep 17, 2003

A potentially useful precedent for this matter is R.E. Lee and his post-surrender contributions.

#3 from Joe Katzman at 10:22 pm on Sep 17, 2003

Hmm, here in Canada mail to elected representatives and Cabinet members is free. Thanks for the update. I've modified the advice accordingly.

#4 from Pete Stanley at 10:25 pm on Sep 17, 2003

Pentagon planners appear to have under-estimated the number of US/coalition troops required in post war Iraq. Some of the post war scenarios they were working from included the use of Iraqi army units to help keep order.

The very men who would lead such units are still in cages.

DUH.

#5 from Joe Katzman at 10:29 pm on Sep 17, 2003

Well put, Pete and Dishman. I second that DUH.

#6 from button at 2:26 am on Sep 18, 2003

JOE:

Coalition reveals almost 4,000 extra 'security detainees' in Iraq

http://www.jordantimes.com/Wed/news/news11.htm

If the Iraqi Generals are being detained for 'security' purposes, they may not release them despite their seeming harmlessness.

I don't know how we could change this.

#7 from Eye Opener at 4:59 am on Sep 30, 2003

It shows itself as a TRUST issue.

"We don't trust them, so we'll imprison them unless and until we find ourselves having no need to trust them, and then we'll release all we can and prosecute the rest..."

Whereas, TRUST means "even when its hazy, or difficult, or we've had our differences and the wounds are yet raw (see Robert E. Lee), we CHOOSE to trust you unless and until you make further reasons for revoking our trust!"

Anyone can trust when its warm, fuzzy and easy. Americans have the capacity and the chance now to trust when its is difficult, dangerous and still the right thing to do.

#8 from Colin at 5:32 am on Oct 04, 2003

Please tell me how I can write to Paul Bremmer or his Deputy?