I just saw this report about a young Christian Science Monitor reporter called Jill Caroll being kidnapped in Baghdad.
I am just hoping and praying that she and the translator kidnaped along with her are both okay.
So very many people are being quite illegally deprived of their liberty in Iraq today– and threatened, many of them, with physical mistreatment or even annihilation.
I’d like to take this opportunity to tell anyone who might know the people who’re holding Jill Carroll a little about the Christian Science Monitor that they might not know.
The newspaper was founded as a regular daily newspaper around 100 years ago by Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, a courageous American woman who founded a new branch of Christian belief called Christian Science. The paper is still owned and operated by the Christian Science church, but it functions just like a regular newspaper in the secular world, with the exception that a portion of one page is given over to “today’s religious article.”
The church is not involved in any attempt to “convert” Iraqis or any other Middle Easterners to the faith. Many of the reporters working for the paper are not even members of the C.S. church; some of them are. All of them are good, professional journalists.
I have worked with the newspaper in one way or another since 1976, and have written a regular column for them since 1990. (As regular JWN readers will know, I am not a Christian Scientist, but a member of another Christian church, the Quakers.) One of the things I admire about the paper is the fact that, being owned by a church, it is the only major US national daily that is not subject to commercial pressures by advertisers– a factor that in the case of several other papers and broadcast media has caused journalists to modify their reporting of facts that might be detrimental to Israel. Journalists working for the CSM can describe things as they honestly see them. The CSM has also, throughout the decades, built up a strong record of giving broad and thoughtful coverage to issues in the developing countries.
No-one in Iraq or elsewhere ever deserves to be detained illegally. But it seems particularly tragic– in Jill Carroll’s case, as in that of the four CPT abductees– that western people who are making a serious, peaceful, and respectful attempt to build bridges of understanding with all communities in Iraq should be kidnapped and held in this way.
Please! Can the people holding these abductees find a way to release them all in safety?
29 thoughts on “CSM reporter kidnapped, Iraq”
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Jane Hamsher has a good post over on ‘firedoglake’ on Jill Carroll. Very moving.
I’m very sorry to hear about Jill Caroll.
In South Africa we know the Christian Science Monitor through John Battersby, a good man and a good journalist somebody who also has been in the Middle East for at least one long spell.
I don’t know him but perhaps he could be persuaded to write something along the lines that you have written – the danger that it is the journalists with the greatest respect for the people, and those who are opposed to imperialism, who will be targeted, whether by pseudo-gangs or not.
translator kidnaped along
L believes I read in Arabic news that He is killed while they kidnapped.
They both kidnapped from Al Adel District west Baghdad.
Hope she will returned safely to here family and friends.
Yes, I am afraid that this WaPo piece tells us that Jill’s interpreter, Allan Enwiyah, was killed. He was described there as “a husband with young children.”
That article also noted that Jill, unlike most Western reporters in Iraq, had made a determined effort to learn Arabic and had some proficiency in it. Also that she went out in unarmored vehicles, without bodyguards or follow-up security cars.
I was talking recently to a friend recently arrived from Baghdad, who noted that the NYT bureau there is now like a an armored camp– “They even have their own roadblocks around it”.
I suppose that is one way of practicing journalism. But it doesn’t seem like a way designed to enable the journalists to get out and really get the pulse of what Iraqis are thinking and saying. Jill Carroll did try to practice respectful, humane journalism… Let’s hope she can be released safely.
Hello, I am an independent journalist who has returned from a trip to Baghdad last fall. Although I doubt my Arabic is anywhere near to the level of Ms. Carroll’s, I also endeavored to learn their language before travelling to Iraq, and had learned Arabic for a year in college, some ten years ago now.
I interviewed Adnan Dulaimi on one of my last days in Iraq and am particularly disturbed by the nature of this kidnapping, because I am almost certain I have been in the exact place where she was abducted.
Please read my take on the situation here:
http://www.aliveinbaghdad.org/aib/?p=3020
Also, please don’t forget Mr. Fadhil, an Iraqi jounrnalist who was targetted recently by the United States occupation recently. He and many other brave Iraqi journalists have faced far more risks than most Americans, due to their courage and willingness to cover stories against the odds.
I also travelled in the manner of Ms. Carroll, and I am deeply saddened that harm might come to one of a rare breed of journalists in Iraq.
Hope Ms. Caroll is released safely.
Does Iraq’s security situation, perhaps bordering on a Mission Impossible for journalists, explain why news agencies rely more than usual on freelancers? Does this affect their level of protection or supervision by security forces or employers? Obviously, pay cannot be their motive.
Hope Ms. Caroll is released safely.
Does Iraq’s security situation, perhaps bordering on a Mission Impossible for journalists, explain why news agencies rely more than usual on freelancers? Does this affect their level of protection or supervision by security forces or employers? Obviously, pay cannot be their motive.
Here we go through the usual routine of begging and reasoning with fanatics and criminals. It always goes like:
– The victim is American but kind of on your side
– We are Christian, but not proselitists, and certainly not Jewish
– If you just spare the victim we’ll be even more sympathetic to your cause
The French have realized that the best hopes are paying for their release. They pay and then deny.
And so much for American journalists not taking risks to do their jobs from Iraq. Only Helena gets a free pass to report from her Olympo.
David
David, Wrote
– The victim is American but kind of on your side
David first the kidnapping started with Iraqis and they suffer a lot even for may the families payed the money but they got dead body for the loved ones no one or the media spoke about what Iraqis kidnapping.
If you think “victim is American” I can say now Iraqis are victims because of the American occupation I know you don’t agree but you need to realise that more death is due to US presence in Iraq, also daily and route Military conveys running all the day around the cites and tows not mentioned the Chops and Air fighters over their heads this is fact David.
– We are Christian, but not proselitists, and certainly not Jewish
Again David you tried to divert your argument and you believe in your own stories. This isn’t a Religious War, nothing of this in Iraq there is not religious hatred in Iraq for Christian or Jews as you think.
This isn’t a Religious War, nothing of this in Iraq
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4430579.stm
“We only reserve the sword for you, agents of Jews and Crusaders.”
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/iraq1005/12.htm
“On August 31, the group posted pictures and video of the executions on the Internet, with a statement that said they had been killed because they “came from their country to fight the Muslims and to serve the Jews and the Christians.“
No one here believes that most Iraqis hate Jews or Christians. But a fair portion of those staging kidnappings clearly do hate Jews and Christians. They make that fact clear in their public statements. They also seem to hate Iraqis, since they abduct and murder far more Iraqi Muslims than Jews or Christians exactly as you suggested.
vadim,
There are many incident in US and around the world that the Muslins targeted and killed or insulted.
This is not let us to say there is a war on Muslims in American against Muslims I sure you heard US administrations play down this, what you saying “those staging kidnappings clearly do hate Jews and Christians” they are criminals they used whatever methods to justify their crimes.
I don’t agree what you put in regards what they post it’s just I believe a crap nothing in name of Islam allowed to kill innocents humans and take human life.
In same talk if Americans killed in Iraq it’s a case of war between occupier force and the Iraqis to defend their land and homes I believe its same as any where around the world, isn’t?
t’s a case of war between occupier force and the Iraqis
except that the abductions have nothing to do with the occupying forces, & if the occupying forces left tomorrow, there’s every reason to believe the abductions of this sort would still occur, perhaps more often than otherwise. so this is completely, totally, 100% irrelevant, whereas religion is only partially relevant.
vadim,
except that the abductions have nothing to do with the occupying forces
I totally agree, saying that Iraqis see those who helps or pass massages to occupier forces as occupiers in association Vedim.
if the occupying forces left tomorrow, there’s every reason to believe the abductions of this sort would still occur, perhaps more often than otherwise.
I don’t know why you confident to this degree with this, put of course if there are lawlessness environments you expected all sort of criminals behaviours from the bad ones. simple examples During and after Katrina Hircine you heard and saw the gangs activity there so its happened any where in case of there is no security force or there is lawlessness on the ground.
As part of the Occupier consequences the case of lawlessness in Iraq its part of mistaken continually by occupiers forces there in addition to other factors.
Wow, even when pleading for a colleague’s life, Helena can’t resist taking a swipe at Israel, or anyone who dare speak in favor of its Israel. What a hateful person.
Anyway, despite Helena’s cheap shot, I will be hoping for Ms. Carroll’s safety.
Alive (Brian)– thanks for your comment and the link to your site. Good luck with it!
Jmkoch– good questions about reliance on freelancers. My experience is that covering wars takes a lot of personpower and a lot of guts on behalf of those persons. It’s often a good way for a young reporter to get a leg up in the profession. Papers would use the same kind of quality control/supervision of freelancers there that they would use in other circs, but would generally tend to prefer people of known judgment. The CSM was mightily embarrassed in Baghdad in mid-2003 by the v. shoddy work of a young freelancer called Philip Smucker, so I imagine they’d be even stricer since then in making sure they use only peole of known integrity.
David, I have no idea whether Jill Carroll is Christian, Jewish, or any other religion and said nothing about the nature of her religious beliefs. So I don’t know what you’re talking about. The paper in question, in case you didn’t know, is the “Christian” Science Monitor. Sorry if that upsets you.
And Joshua, I don’t know what “cheap shot” you’re talking about. I did write something about extremist pro-Israeli pressures on the US media that happens to be true, though perhaps you wish I hadn’t. Also, I have frequently written in favor of official Israeli actions including in a comment here. So, your point was…? (Oh, never mind. Let’s just concentrate on the matter at hand here.)
Helena- Sure thing, any time! I stumbled upon you while receiving my daily does of Juan Cole, and I definitely find it interesting to read someone else who is versed in Middle Eastern affairs and provides a healthy bit of analysis that sometimes contradicts Mr. Cole.
I often get the feeling that he has made a statement that, while close to accurate, doesn’t quite reflect my own personal experience in Iraq.
In fact, I have already found a few times where something in between your view and Mr. Cole’s reflects my experience and opinion about the situaiton.
For more about kidnappings in Iraq, you can read this short piece I just had published by Inter Press Service:
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=31728
Jmkoch: Regarding freelancers, it certainly appears that smaller news agencies such as Inter Press Service rely almost exclusively on “freelancers.” In Iraq, there are many freelancers, most are also known by the term “Iraqis.”(Just a little joke on my part) Keep in mind that particularly in the United States we have an excessive focus on media celebrities, people like Wolf Blitzer, Bill O’Reilly, Geraldo, and Anderson Cooper, to name a few. In Iraq most of the “Western media” is afraid to travel outside their compounds, those that do, travel only under heavy security. I visited the BBC compound while I was in Iraq, and I’ll tell you, I think it would be hard for the Mahdi Army to be living in anything more resembling a fortress. Multiple checkpoints, not to mention twenty or so “men with guns” at one checkpoint, had to be traversed to reach the compound.
The important thing to remember is this, most of the media is not getting the story right because they are not Iraqi, they don’t understand Iraq, they don’t speak Arabic, and they are not endeavoring a level of humility necessary to understand. There are a few papers such as the Guardian who are taking these steps. By and large, Iraqi journalists continue to be treated as second-class citizens by the media, necessary implements to reporting on Iraq, just like your camera, videotape, and trusty notepad.
as with everything unfortunately, follow the money… Why are celebrity anchors such a large segment of the budget, when they’re producing so little content?
I do not know what religion Jill is, if she is Christian it will be emphasized in the begging phase, if she is Jewish it won’t be mentioned, just like Daniel Pearl and the early US citizens beheadings in Iraq.
The name of the paper is irrelevant. She is a journalist not a clergy person. Or does the word “Science” in the paper also mean that she is a scientist?
Salah, I agree with the first part of your reply.
Take care,
David
“The important thing to remember is this, most of the media is not getting the story right because they are not Iraqi, they don’t understand Iraq, they don’t speak Arabic, and they are not endeavoring a level of humility necessary to understand. There are a few papers such as the Guardian who are taking these steps. By and large, Iraqi journalists continue to be treated as second-class citizens”
“I have to assume the racist attitudes of the security contractors stems from the necessity for a human being to dehumanize and marginalize another human being in order to kill them. Dehumanization is a mind game military-leaders the world over have used to indoctrinate recruits with and it also seems to be the case with these mercenary soldiers.
The colonialist attitudes are harder to grasp. Is colonialism something unique to white, male Westerners? (And I include myself in this category.) Do we see Iraq the same way as Kipling saw India, that of being “the white man’s burden” to bring Western civilization to the uncivilized Arabs and Kurds?”
http://vitw.org/archives/956#more-956
Thanks salah, for your link to Tom Fox’s important words. Certainly this is an important element of the problem in Iraq as well!
Right now colonialism exists in Iraq beyond just the influence of “the white man.” There are plenty of ex-patriate Iraqis there who are seen as collaborators by the Americans, everyone from Allawi to Jaafari to Al’Hakim.
This is a big factor in the conflict between nationalists such as Adnan Dulaimi or Muqtada al Sadr and the western and Iranian blocs such as Chalabi or Allawi and Al’Hakim and SCIRI generally.
In a memo dated May 18, 2004, Bremer urged Rumsfeld to send more troops. ”We were trying to cover too many fronts with too few resources,” attempting to control borders, secure convoy routes and protect Iraq’s infrastructure, Bremer states in his book. “We’ve become the worst of all things — an ineffective occupier,” he says he told Condoleezza Rice, then Bush’s national security adviser.
Bremer Defends His Year in Iraq
Where is the US Journalist from all of that? Did any one reporting to you what’s going on? This is the reality Helena
Most of them if not all “as with everything unfortunately, follow the money… Why are celebrity anchors such a large segment of the budget, when they’re producing so little content?”
I recall reading one US reporter from Iraq her report make me comment on that site about the crab she put, while she proud of reporting from the heart of Baghdad, my comment on that site “She is in her bed in Ishtar-Sheraton Hotel in Baghdad writing here reports”
”Finally, we have been asked, “Why did Coalition and U.S. government public diplomacy efforts fail to reach the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people?” To answer such a question, we must go to the heart of what public diplomacy is about: People are reached through deeds, not through advertising campaigns. One soldier helping a child in the street does more good than days of speeches on satellite TV.”
Reconstructing Iraq
Identifying Core Mistakes
By Danielle Pletka
Posted: Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Look to her “Think-Tank” if you asked a single Iraqi on the street of Baghdad he/she will tell you exactly what she told you, do we need her to motivate you or to tell you what to do?
Go to Iraqis they knew what they need and how to control their country with all help and support from you this is the fact not ” Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to join you here today. You have asked the witnesses to address a series of questions; the answers to most are complex and subjective, and I will not do them justice in this brief statement.” And then what its just a miserable status done by Occupiers demolishing the STATE OF IRAQ
Friend Alive in Baghdad
This is a big factor in the conflict between nationalists such as Adnan Dulaimi or Muqtada al Sadr and the western and Iranian blocs such as Chalabi or Allawi and Al’Hakim and SCIRI generally.
If you let me to suggest a simple correction and clearing things for what you said.
Iraqis haven’t any problem with the West or Westerns, most the high level academic and engineers and other specialists study, visit and make a lot of work with western nations and countries the most obvious example is the very friendship relations with France and other countries.
For some of you they don’t know, the Western Highway Line which starts from Bagdad to Al Qae’im and Al Rutaba west Iraq borders with Syria and Jordan.
This was the most costly project in Iraq let 1970s, a part of that Highways done by a British Company this done after Iraq nationalised all oil resources and got all the money in its own pocket not going to western oil giant companies.
These roads I believe now have a severe damage due to the bombing during the invasion war and then after demolishing of towns and cities west Iraq which is in news every day.
So the point I would like to make Iraqis have nothing dealing with the west also Iraq the only country never been a single western “White” person killed because he is western or white comparing with neighbouring Arab countries till Iraq invasion war which spark things and national resistance appeared to defend the country from the invaders who demolishing their country.
Thanks
Hi Salah,
I don’t know where you are from or if you are Iraqi, but I have been there and I have many Iraqi friends. I would never mean to imply that Iraqis don’t like westerners, hell most even told me they liked Americans, just not the American government.
My implication is that Allawi is part of a “western bloc” meaning that his interests are not Iraqs, but in fact they are similar to the interests of the Bush Administration and transnational corporations who have designs on Iraq’s infrastructure and resources.
I think perhaps you didn’t catch my meaning before. It is not to say that Allawi *is* western necessarily(although many would argue he is more of a British or western nature than an Iraqi-which is a weird dynamic, because who is to say what is “western” and what is not?), but Allawi does seem to be involved with people in the west who wish to rob Iraq of its great resources.
Helena —
Educating the kidnappers about the Christian Science Monitor can’t hurt, and is surely much needed, but I wonder how much prospect of success you have. The French NGO worker who was released the other day was being held by people who were demanding an end to the “French presence in Iraq.” As you know, there are no French troops in Iraq. So you’re likely to be talking to some seriously ill-informed folks here.
All good luck to this brave young woman in her terrifying situation.
As you know, there are no French troops in Iraq. So you’re likely to be talking to some seriously ill-informed folks here.
Don’t be smart this is just your opinion, there are many kidnappers released all of them they gave different view from yours.
Outsourcing ME journalism?
First, I wish Jill Caroll best of luck, I hope she will be released unhurt the sooner the better.
Well, I understand that, in principle, nothing can replace live impressions and direct contact with the locals. The problem is, I simply don’t find on the Net any significant amounts of quality live coverage from Iraq, Afghanistan, WBG and other crisis areas. So, knowing what is going on, it is really hard to imagine that physical presence of Western journalists in these places makes much sense.
But, IMO, there is a way out. Specialists in the ME could prepare lists of questions they want to ask different people in the region. For example, these could be general questions for Iraqis, questions specific for different groups: ordinary Shiites, ordinary Sunnis, supporters of SCIRI, Dawa, Sadrists, neo-Baathists, Salafists, etc. Also, there can be situation-specific questionnaires: for stable and troubled areas, pre- and post-battle questionnaires, etc.
Once the questionnaires are available online, they can be discussed, and then those in Iraq who are interested in the contacts with the West, will provide input on paper or electronically. In fact, online questionnaires can be much more useful than both “embedded” interviews and heavily cooked opinion polls that we know.
Just a thought.
The problem is, I simply don’t find on the Net any significant amounts of quality live coverage from Iraq,
Baghdad Burning
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
Only the westren journalists ohnest and doing the job well in your mind. isn’t?
This site from day one giving the real live from the hart of Iraq.
‘respectful humane journalism’…what does that mean?
sympathetic to suicide bombers?
bashing USA?
what does ‘respectful humane journalism’ mean?
WAS COL. TED WESTHUSING MURDERED?
Wayne Madsen is reporting inside information that Col. Ted Westhusing was murdered. Commenters on my previous posts on his death have suggested the same. See also here and here.
How is it possible that not a single mainstream media outlet has aggressively pursued this story and demanded answers from the Pentagon? Oh, right. They’re too busy transcribing and printing the latest Rethug talking points. And more than a year later, we still have no reliable governmental investigation results, making a mockery of this incredibly fine man and officer’s death.
January 14, 2006 — Serious questions remain concerning Col. Westhusing’s “suicide” in Iraq. Army’s chief ethics expert was murdered, according to Carlyle Group insider.
According an informed source within The Carlyle Group business consortium, Col. Ted Westhusing, the Army’s top military ethicist and professor at West Point, did not commit suicide in a Baghdad trailer in June 2005 as was widely reported in the mainstream media five months later. At the time of his death, Westhusing was investigating contract violations and human rights abuses by US Investigations Services (USIS), formerly a federal agency, the Office of Federal Investigations (OFI), which operated under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
In 1996, OFI, which conducted background investigations for civil service personnel, was privatized. The 700 government employees of OFI became employee-owners as part of USIS. In January 2003, the New York investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe, described by a Carlyle insider as a virtual shadow operation for The Carlyle Group, bought USIS for $545 million. With 5000 current and former employees of USIS sharing $500 million, the deal made them wealthy with the stroke of a pen. However, upper management within USIS became much wealthier than the rank-and-file. Insiders report that the twelve top managers at USIS became multimillionaires as a result of their cashing in of their Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Many of these instant millionaires already had a close relationship with The Carlyle Group.
Carlyle had been a shareholder in USIS since 1999 and with the buy-out deal via the Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe deal, Carlyle became the major shareholder.
USIS continues to have a virtual exclusivity deal to perform background security investigations for OPM. The company bills itself as “one of the largest Intelligence and Security Services companies in North America.”
With the Iraq invasion, USIS obtained lucrative Pentagon private security contracts in Iraq. At a 2004 job fair in Falls Church, Virginia, USIS was advertising for “interrogators” and “protection specialists” for “overseas assignments.” While he was in Iraq training Iraqi police and overseeing the USIS contract to train police as part of the Pentagon’s Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, Westhusing received an anonymous letter that reported USIS’s Private Services Division (PSD) was engaged in fraudulent activities in Iraq, including over-billing the government. In addition, the letter reported that USIS security personnel had murdered innocent Iraqis. After demanding answers from USIS, Westhusing reported the problems up the chain of command. After an “investigation,” the Army found no evidence of wrongdoing by USIS.
That decision signed Col. Westhusing’s death sentence. USIS and Carlyle have powerful allies in the administration, including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Princeton roommate of Carlyle Chairman Emeritus and former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci. Former President George H. W. Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker, and former British Prime Minister John Major are Carlyle international advisers. George W. Bush was formerly employed by a Carlyle subsidiary and the Bin Laden business cartel was a one-time investor in the firm.
Westhusing, who, according to friends and colleagues, showed no signs of depression, left a suicide note the Army concluded was in his handwriting. However, Westhusing’s family and friends have thrown cold water on the Army’s investigation.
WMR can report that based on information obtained from Carlyle insiders, Col. Westhusing’s death was not caused by suicide. The fact that Westhusing was investigating one of the most politically and financially powerful firms in the world resulted in higher-ups wanting him out of the way. According to the Los Angeles Times, all of the witnesses who claimed Westhusing shot himself were USIS employees. In addition, a USIS manager interfered with the crime scene, including handling Westhusing’s service revolver. The USIS manager was not tested for gunpowder residue on his hands.
Westhusing’s investigation threatened to unearth a network of fraudsters looting the US Treasury that included the Bush family and some of their closest financial partners. After Westhusing’s murder, USIS management sent a vaguely-worded memo to employees about how to respond to derogatory information in the media or rumors about USIS. Management’s attention, described as “psychotic” in nature, was on USIS’s upcoming IPO (initial public offering), according to a well-placed source.
USIS also owns Total Information Services of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a commercial personal data mining operation.
Tags: Col. Ted Westhusing, Carlyle Group, USIS
posted by Motherlode at 5:30 PM
1 Comments:
Anonymous said…
January 23, 2006 — More details emerge on Col. Ted Westhusing’s “suiciding” in Iraq. Days before his supposed suicide by a “self-inflicted” gunshot wound in a Camp Dublin, Iraq trailer, West Point Honor Board member and Iraqi police and security forces trainer Col. Ted Westhusing reported in e-mail to the United States that “terrible things were going on Iraq.” He also said he hoped he would make it back to the United States alive. Westhusing had three weeks left on his tour of duty in Iraq when he allegedly shot himself in June 2005.
It is noteworthy that after Westhusing’s death, two top Army generals, both responsible for training Iraqi forces, General Dave Petraeus, the Commander of the Multi National Security Transition Command Iraq (MNSTCI), and Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, the Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, were quickly transferred without much fanfare to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and Fort Hood, Texas, respectively.
U.S. Army cover-up of Colonel Westhusing’s death: Highlighted by fabricated evidence and quick transfers of senior officers
Informed sources report that Westhusing was prepared to blow the whistle on fraud involving US Investigations Services (USIS), a Carlyle Group company, when he died. [See Jan. 14 story below]. He had also discovered links between USIS principals and clandestine events involving the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan-Bush I administrations. Westhusing has also linked USIS to the illegal killing and torture of Iraqis. USIS personnel whom Westhusing was investigating had the keys to his trailer. In addition, Westhusing’s personal bodyguard was given a leave of absence shortly before the colonel’s death.
The U.S. Army’s official report on Westhusing’s death contained a number of falsehoods, according to those close to the case. Most importantly, the Army report stated that Westhusing had electronically communicated an interest in obtaining hollow point bullets. The bullet which killed Westhusing was a hollow point. However, the Army’s statement was false, according to an informed source. In addition, the Army combed Westhusing’s service record and interviewed a number of colleagues in order to concoct a story that would make suicide appear plausible.
California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer is reportedly trying to get the Senate to investigate Westhusing’s death. However, with the Republicans in firm control, it appears that murder of senior U.S. military officers is also something the GOP is more than willing to cover up.
5:00 PM
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WAS COL. TED WESTHUSING MURDERED?
Wayne Madsen is reporting inside information that Col. Ted Westhusing was murdered. Commenters on my previous posts on his death have suggested the same. See also here and here.
How is it possible that not a single mainstream media outlet has aggressively pursued this story and demanded answers from the Pentagon? Oh, right. They’re too busy transcribing and printing the latest Rethug talking points. And more than a year later, we still have no reliable governmental investigation results, making a mockery of this incredibly fine man and officer’s death.
January 14, 2006 — Serious questions remain concerning Col. Westhusing’s “suicide” in Iraq. Army’s chief ethics expert was murdered, according to Carlyle Group insider.
According an informed source within The Carlyle Group business consortium, Col. Ted Westhusing, the Army’s top military ethicist and professor at West Point, did not commit suicide in a Baghdad trailer in June 2005 as was widely reported in the mainstream media five months later. At the time of his death, Westhusing was investigating contract violations and human rights abuses by US Investigations Services (USIS), formerly a federal agency, the Office of Federal Investigations (OFI), which operated under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
In 1996, OFI, which conducted background investigations for civil service personnel, was privatized. The 700 government employees of OFI became employee-owners as part of USIS. In January 2003, the New York investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe, described by a Carlyle insider as a virtual shadow operation for The Carlyle Group, bought USIS for $545 million. With 5000 current and former employees of USIS sharing $500 million, the deal made them wealthy with the stroke of a pen. However, upper management within USIS became much wealthier than the rank-and-file. Insiders report that the twelve top managers at USIS became multimillionaires as a result of their cashing in of their Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Many of these instant millionaires already had a close relationship with The Carlyle Group.
Carlyle had been a shareholder in USIS since 1999 and with the buy-out deal via the Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe deal, Carlyle became the major shareholder.
USIS continues to have a virtual exclusivity deal to perform background security investigations for OPM. The company bills itself as “one of the largest Intelligence and Security Services companies in North America.”
With the Iraq invasion, USIS obtained lucrative Pentagon private security contracts in Iraq. At a 2004 job fair in Falls Church, Virginia, USIS was advertising for “interrogators” and “protection specialists” for “overseas assignments.” While he was in Iraq training Iraqi police and overseeing the USIS contract to train police as part of the Pentagon’s Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, Westhusing received an anonymous letter that reported USIS’s Private Services Division (PSD) was engaged in fraudulent activities in Iraq, including over-billing the government. In addition, the letter reported that USIS security personnel had murdered innocent Iraqis. After demanding answers from USIS, Westhusing reported the problems up the chain of command. After an “investigation,” the Army found no evidence of wrongdoing by USIS.
That decision signed Col. Westhusing’s death sentence. USIS and Carlyle have powerful allies in the administration, including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Princeton roommate of Carlyle Chairman Emeritus and former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci. Former President George H. W. Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker, and former British Prime Minister John Major are Carlyle international advisers. George W. Bush was formerly employed by a Carlyle subsidiary and the Bin Laden business cartel was a one-time investor in the firm.
Westhusing, who, according to friends and colleagues, showed no signs of depression, left a suicide note the Army concluded was in his handwriting. However, Westhusing’s family and friends have thrown cold water on the Army’s investigation.
WMR can report that based on information obtained from Carlyle insiders, Col. Westhusing’s death was not caused by suicide. The fact that Westhusing was investigating one of the most politically and financially powerful firms in the world resulted in higher-ups wanting him out of the way. According to the Los Angeles Times, all of the witnesses who claimed Westhusing shot himself were USIS employees. In addition, a USIS manager interfered with the crime scene, including handling Westhusing’s service revolver. The USIS manager was not tested for gunpowder residue on his hands.
Westhusing’s investigation threatened to unearth a network of fraudsters looting the US Treasury that included the Bush family and some of their closest financial partners. After Westhusing’s murder, USIS management sent a vaguely-worded memo to employees about how to respond to derogatory information in the media or rumors about USIS. Management’s attention, described as “psychotic” in nature, was on USIS’s upcoming IPO (initial public offering), according to a well-placed source.
USIS also owns Total Information Services of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a commercial personal data mining operation.
Tags: Col. Ted Westhusing, Carlyle Group, USIS
posted by Motherlode at 5:30 PM
1 Comments:
Anonymous said…
January 23, 2006 — More details emerge on Col. Ted Westhusing’s “suiciding” in Iraq. Days before his supposed suicide by a “self-inflicted” gunshot wound in a Camp Dublin, Iraq trailer, West Point Honor Board member and Iraqi police and security forces trainer Col. Ted Westhusing reported in e-mail to the United States that “terrible things were going on Iraq.” He also said he hoped he would make it back to the United States alive. Westhusing had three weeks left on his tour of duty in Iraq when he allegedly shot himself in June 2005.
It is noteworthy that after Westhusing’s death, two top Army generals, both responsible for training Iraqi forces, General Dave Petraeus, the Commander of the Multi National Security Transition Command Iraq (MNSTCI), and Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, the Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, were quickly transferred without much fanfare to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and Fort Hood, Texas, respectively.
U.S. Army cover-up of Colonel Westhusing’s death: Highlighted by fabricated evidence and quick transfers of senior officers
Informed sources report that Westhusing was prepared to blow the whistle on fraud involving US Investigations Services (USIS), a Carlyle Group company, when he died. [See Jan. 14 story below]. He had also discovered links between USIS principals and clandestine events involving the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan-Bush I administrations. Westhusing has also linked USIS to the illegal killing and torture of Iraqis. USIS personnel whom Westhusing was investigating had the keys to his trailer. In addition, Westhusing’s personal bodyguard was given a leave of absence shortly before the colonel’s death.
The U.S. Army’s official report on Westhusing’s death contained a number of falsehoods, according to those close to the case. Most importantly, the Army report stated that Westhusing had electronically communicated an interest in obtaining hollow point bullets. The bullet which killed Westhusing was a hollow point. However, the Army’s statement was false, according to an informed source. In addition, the Army combed Westhusing’s service record and interviewed a number of colleagues in order to concoct a story that would make suicide appear plausible.
California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer is reportedly trying to get the Senate to investigate Westhusing’s death. However, with the Republicans in firm control, it appears that murder of senior U.S. military officers is also something the GOP is more than willing to cover up.
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