PFC England

As trainees in Basic Training, each and every one of us are drilled beyond the point of indoctrination that each and every one of us have the General Military Authority and the Duty to refuse to carry-out illegal orders.

That Authority is rooted, at least partially, in our Duty to preserve the Dignity and Integrity of our fellow man... comrade, enemy, or otherwise.

So, what the hell does that mean?

It means we each have they duty and authority to refuse to carry out illegal orders and none of us are left confused about it. I don't know how to break it down any further... it's that plain and simple.

Unless, of course, you find yourself in the midst of Abu Ghraib and your Defense Lawyers feel like pinning your hopes to a Barrel of Monkeys defense.

Stacked on top of PFC England's Barrel of Monkeys defense is the mercy-appeal... er, uh - claim that she was oxygen-deprived at birth.

Oxygen deprived...

Lucky for Lynndie, she's not up for Capital Punishment - or who knows, she could be facing the Schiavo sentence: death by starvation and dehydration.

Still, regardlesss of what the presumably competent defense team pulls out of their keister, PFC England knew what her Rights and Duties were... and she blew them off to join in with the others.

She wants leniency?

Talk to me after she personally apologizes to each of her victims and their families... then I'll consider an appeal for mercy.

She's lucky I'm not on the jury.


* I speak for myself and in no way represent an official position of any part of the United States Military.