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Originally Posted by Gogogo
Actually I understand the soldiers involved had training in dealing with POWs etc, isn't this part of the court record, and they should have known what is right and what is wrong. It is not acceptable to say I was only following orders. Prisoner abuse is unacceptable. I understand they had been put into difficult and extraordinary circumstances but prisoners should be treated humanely and not abused. UK soldiers have a duty to show they are not like Saddam Hussein's murderers and abusers but must show by example. The officer who gave the original order probably didn't expect what actually happened and should have in any case taken a closer interest in what was going on.
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Unless the officer is incompitent, then it is in his best interests to ensure that the men under his command clearly understand their orders. Its is also a commanders responsiblity to *know* what the men under his command are doing. These mens CO gave an order to ''work them hard'' (I believe this is the wording, but I could be wrong), for 24 hours and then cut them loose. Most likely thhis order was passed to the SNCO of the unit, who then passed on the order to whichever JNCO's would be incharge of the sections dealing with the Iraqi prisoners. IMO, the CO should heave been in the dock facing a Courts Martial, in the same way as the Other Ranks.