We Can't Fight Terrorism By Sexually Terrorizing Women and Girls: Two Military Rapes Revealed

[marmar]

from AlterNet's PEEK:



We Can't Fight Terrorism By Sexually Terrorizing Women and Girls: Two Military Rapes Revealed

Posted by Lucinda Marshall, Feminist Peace Network at 5:41 AM on February 11, 2008.

We need to insist that they be properly investigated and if true, that the crimes be punished appropriately, not by administrative action.



Two items this morning regarding members of the U.S. military's fine efforts to fight terrorism by terrorizing women and girls. Middle-school age girls. This first case in particular bears watching-why do I have an uneasy feeling that he is more likely to be convicted of the stealing and being AWOL than the assaulting?

"An Air Force colonel is accused of rape, forcing himself on or sexually harassing two other women, stealing about $10,000 and other crimes -- all while he was a training commander at Sheppard Air Force Base.

The indecent assault charges stem from allegations that Lofton kissed two women against their will and forced them to touch him -- including the woman he is accused of raping in April. The unbecoming conduct charges stem from allegations that Lofton made lewd comments and tried to form a relationship with another woman at the base, according to documents."

And then there is this fine example from Okinawa of the U.S. military's ongoing efforts to be good citizens in Japan:

"A U.S. Marine was arrested on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old Japanese girl on the southern island of Okinawa, police said on Monday, triggering anger from an area where the U.S. military presence is widely resented.A spokesman for the Okinawa Prefecture police said 38-year-old Tyrone Hadnott, based at Camp Courtney on the island, was suspected of raping the schoolgirl when the two were in a car on Sunday. Further details were under investigation, he added."

Yes we know, no one has been convicted yet, but with the military's sorry record for prosecuting these cases, they bear watching. We need to insist that they be properly investigated and if true, that the crimes be punished appropriately, not by administrative action.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/76603/

[qazplm]

1. I dont know what you mean by "sorry record"

but as a military defense attorney, what I see is that no matter how clearly lacking in credibility a claim is, it will almost ALWAYS go forward to the equivalent of charges and a grand jury/indictment.

You sure as heck don't have that kind of record in civilian court.

Now are convictions for rape hard to get? Absolutely. Because rape is a hard thing to prove beyond a reasonable doubt as you generally have he said/she said, alcohol, and rarely do you have anything to point to for the male that says "rape" because generally if rape does occur in a particular case it is much more likely to be date or acquaintance rape then stranger rape.

But these two cases will be charged and will go forward to a grand jury/indictment process and likely go to court-martial.

What more can you ask for?

[marmar]

2. Umm, I didn't write it, I just posted it.....

.... Perhaps you should take up your concerns with the WRITER, who's from the Feminist Action Peace Network. N'est-ce pas?

[qazplm]

5. ummm...these aren't your words?

"Yes we know, no one has been convicted yet, but with the military's sorry record for prosecuting these cases, they bear watching. We need to insist that they be properly investigated and if true, that the crimes be punished appropriately, not by administrative action."

[marmar]

6. Umm, no. They're Lucinda Marshall of the Feminist Peace Network's words.....

.... if you'd click the link, you'd see that. But apparently that's too difficult a concept for you to grasp.

[WinkyDink]

3. Your premise is wrong; we are not in the business of "fight(ing) terrorism".

We are literally in the business of destroy-to-give-US-corporations-the-no-bid-construction-contracts-and-to-loot-the-conquered-nation.

[marmar]

4. please see post #2.....

n/t