Justice for Jack Idema Blogburst 4/25/2007

Hi. As I told you last week, we have now changed the blogburst to, "Justice for Jack Idema Blogburst." That is because there has not been any justice in this shameful action of our government.

It's been over two weeks since the news broke that US Special Forces soldier Jack Idema has been released from nearly three years of illegal-detention in an Afghanistan prison filled with Taliban prisoners. Anyone hoping this event would mean Jack could finally return home to the US, however, is likely to be disappointed.

This is quite true. I am not only disappointed, I am angry. We are treating these terrorists with kid's gloves, while we treating our own with extreme prejudice. When we go to war, we go to kill. What the hell do they think is going to happen? We did not send our men to play patty-cakes! (Haditha)

As we learned from Jack's Afghan lawyer, Rahim Ahmadzai, last week, the US State Department is doing everything in its power to prevent Idema from leaving the country:

The United States Embassy has since blocked the return of Jack Idema’s original passport, which is prima facie evidence of his innocence on several of the accusations made. Additionally, the United States Embassy has blocked the return of Jack Idema’s documents and property from the National Security Directorate (NDS).

In spite of these difficulties, Jack remains optimistic that he will be able to get out of Afghanistan at some point in the next few weeks. What's less certain is the fate that awaits him when he does.

Since when does the State Department get a say in what happens during war? Are they not the department that always wants to talk? I AM THROUGH TALKING TO TERRORISTS!

See, the State Department's refusal to hand over Jack's passport is disturbingly reminiscent of their behaviour toward Captain Brent Bennett upon his 'release' last October. Back then, of course, Brent was the one on the receiving end of the State Department's passport-fixation. On route to an unspecified destination (and still officially 'in custody') Brent managed to persuade airport authorities in a neutral country that his captors had no right to keep him handcuffed and without his documents. He was issued a temporary passport and fled. As of now, he is still unable to return to the US and is, in his own words, a 'man without a country'.

I see. So if you go after the enemy, you are more evil than enemy you are supposed to kill? The enemy you are getting PAID to kill? That is why I hate the State Department. Another reason being that they brokered a deal so that they could have Sharia Law in Afghanistan! What the hell? After we kicked Japan's ass, WE wrote their constitution for them. That is why we must except nothing less than total victory. Screw world opinion.

Although Jack's position as a free man is certainly more secure than was Brent's at that time, it remains to be seen if he will ultimately join his second-in-command in a state of forced ex-patriation. So that's one thing.

Another is Jack and Brent's need for justice. Here are two men who are completely guiltless who have been tortured and illegally-imprisoned for more than two years by agents of their own State Department. Finally that same State Department was forced to release them from captivity. It cannot, must not, be the right of the State Department officials to do this. They must be held responsible and not allowed to walk away from the Idema case without ever being forced to account for their actions.

There must be redress -- Not just for Jack and Brent's sake, but so that the message is heard loud and clear that no one serving our country with honour can be used as a political pawn to then be discarded.

Jack and Brent may be free, but the fight to clear their names must continue.

That is exactly correct. This is an outrageous act by our government, I don't care which side of the aisle you are upon which you stand. If you cannot see the injustice in this, your 'causes' are selfish and mean nothing. Only because you do not really believe in what you are professing. The cause itself may be worthy, but you are not. Be gone.

So what can we do? Well, anyone reading this with their own blog can sign up for the weekly Justice For Jack Idema Blogburst by emailing Cao or Rottweiler Puppy for details. I'd urge everyone to do this, as we're still terribly short on takers. If you want to know more about the story, Cao's Blog has a large section devoted to Jack Idema. There's also a timeline here, and, of course, a huge amount of information is available over at SuperPatriots, without whose work none of us would have learned about Jack's story.

Finally, PLEASE NOTE: The SuperPatriots and Jack images on this site are used with WRITTEN COPYRIGHT PERMISSION and any use by any third party is subject to legal action by SuperPatriots.US

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The Free Jack Idema Blogroll:
The Lone Voice, Kender's Musings, Cao's Blog, Rottweiler Puppy, Causes of Interest, Stuck On Stupid, You Don't Know Jack, Right Voices, Causal Nexus and A Real Man.

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Please excuse my choice of words. I know you are not used to hearing this type of language here. I am just so upset over this (or any) injustice. It must not stand.