A Journey that Ended in Anguish - N/A

[astanley]

This was in the Boston Sunday Globe, and was a very thought provoking article. What do you, service members or not, think about Col. Ted Westhusing, his actions, and the larger issue at hand? (A military ethicist and his intersection with private contractors and military actions)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-colonel27nov27,0,1236434,print.story

WASHINGTON — One hot, dusty day in June, Col. Ted Westhusing was found dead in a trailer at a military base near the Baghdad airport, a single gunshot wound to the head.

The Army would conclude that he committed suicide with his service pistol. At the time, he was the highest-ranking officer to die in Iraq.

The Army closed its case. But the questions surrounding Westhusing's death continue.

Westhusing, 44, was no ordinary officer. He was one of the Army's leading scholars of military ethics, a full professor at West Point who volunteered to serve in Iraq to be able to better teach his students. He had a doctorate in philosophy; his dissertation was an extended meditation on the meaning of honor.

I reserve my comments until people have read/posted about the story.

-Andrew

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

This was in the Boston Sunday Globe, and was a very thought provoking article. What do you, service members or not, think about Col. Ted Westhusing, his actions, and the larger issue at hand? (A military ethicist and his intersection with private contractors and military actions)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-colonel27nov27,0,1236434,print.story



I reserve my comments until people have read/posted about the story.

-Andrew

It's hard to make someone write a suicide note without flaws in the writing showing up under examination by a professional, if possibly the contractors he was in opposition to did indeed do that before using the pistol on him, forced into his own hand to leave powder residues.

It is far from inconcievable that he or any other person, could lose their faith under the extreme duress of mental wrangling with any moral issues and take action that under less trying times would have been thought totally out of the question by that individual and his peers and family.

 

[RotaryWingBob]

This was in the Boston Sunday Globe, and was a very thought provoking article. What do you, service members or not, think about Col. Ted Westhusing, his actions, and the larger issue at hand? (A military ethicist and his intersection with private contractors and military actions)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-colonel27nov27,0,1236434,print.story



I reserve my comments until people have read/posted about the story.

-Andrew

I'm sorry, but the story is all allegation, and no substantiation. Your point is?

 

[SkyHog]

I'm sorry, but the story is all allegation, and no substantiation. Your point is?

I don't think he made his point yet. He said he'll wait for comments.

My comment: If the military closed it as a suicide, then it should be left alone at that. Conspiracy theories or not, the military isn't going to hide something like that, especially when its not even well known news.

 

[silver-eagle]

His death stunned all who knew him. Colleagues and commanders wondered whether they had missed signs of depression. He had been losing weight and not sleeping well.

Having been close to a couple of people who slid over the line, I can tell you that subtle changes are not so easily noticed. Often they are attributed to daily stress and not a trip to the dark side. Sometimes, there are no signs that you or anyone would notice. Perhaps they did miss the signs, perhaps there was nothing overt.
It is a shame that us humans have no well defined way to call for help. Beating oneself up because you MIGHT have missed something is counterproductive.
Could it be a conspiracy? Possible. The person who found him moved the weapon. Anyone familiar with procedures (as he said he was) should have known better.

 

[astanley]

I'm sorry, but the story is all allegation, and no substantiation. Your point is?

I hadn't made a point yet, and the Army has closed their investigation (according to the article) and has ruled Col. Westhusing's death a suicide.

My thoughts stirred around this one major point: A military ethicist, with a VERY strong sense of patriotism and honor, has an ethical struggle over the role of private contractors in our wars. Then, he finds out that there are (potentially) severe violations of honor and ethics under his command - and the thought of that destroys him.

I was perplexed, at first, that this transgression, by someone he was leading and managing, would destroy him so. But I came to this conclusion - in his struggle for honor, order, and a sense of justice, he belived, in the eastern sense, that it was his price to pay for these transgressions - that what had happend had sullied his command, his name, and his own personal honor.

It is extremely sad that a talented, bright military mind like Col. Westhusing's, one with such a clear sense of Honor, Duty, and Justice would be gone at his own hands. But it does highlight a point - like medicine, there is a certain loftier goal to War that is beyond profits, the bottom line, and managing the financials - which is what many private, for profit contractors do. Without commenting or getting into the innefficencies internal to our own military, there is something disturbing about these for-profit motives being blended in areas where we need to focus on the loftier, headier goals.

-Andrew

 

[Anthony]

But it does highlight a point - like medicine, there is a certain loftier goal to War that is beyond profits, the bottom line, and managing the financials - which is what many private, for profit contractors do. Without commenting or getting into the innefficencies internal to our own military, there is something disturbing about these for-profit motives being blended in areas where we need to focus on the loftier, headier goals.

Mercenaries have been around since there has been war. The "security contractors" are a euphamism for mercenaries, hired soldiers. The U.S. does not have enoguh troops to protect everyone and everything in Iraq, so they outsource this work to "contractors". I can see where there would be friction between our soldiers who are motitvated by duty and honor vs. mercs motivated by money. I'm not saying the mercs don't serve a purpose, but it does bring up interesting ethical arguments.

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Taken at the article's face value, I guess I would agree -- anything else is speculation.

 

[astanley]

Mercenaries have been around since there has been war. The "security contractors" are a euphamism for mercenaries, hired soldiers. The U.S. does not have enoguh troops to protect everyone and everything in Iraq, so they outsource this work to "contractors". I can see where there would be friction between our soldiers who are motitvated by duty and honor vs. mercs motivated by money. I'm not saying the mercs don't serve a purpose, but it does bring up interesting ethical arguments.

Oh, yes, I completely agree. On some level, there is a clear need for third party "contractors" to fill in where the conscripted and volunteer military units cannot serve and deliver. As you say, there are some interesting ethical arguments here. A buddy of mine just cycled home, served with the MP's in the North. He commented that most of the guys in his unit were there to "do their jobs - serve and protect", whereas a lot of the private security guys he met were there to "play war". One soldiers opinion, from one limited viewpoint, but it does raise some eyebrows.

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[Anthony]

On some level, there is a clear need for third party "contractors" to fill in where the conscripted and volunteer military units cannot serve and deliver.

Just to be clear, there are no "conscripted" soldiers in the U.S. armed forces. It is entirely a volunteer force. If your speaking hypothetically, then yes I agree.

 

[astanley]

Just to be clear, there are no "conscripted" soldiers in the U.S. armed forces. It is entirely a volunteer force. If your speaking hypothetically, then yes I agree.

Yes, that's what I meant, I was just trying to be all smart and stuff. Volunteer / Draft / Conscripted forces vs. paid mercenary forces was the dichotomy I was trying to highlight.

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[judypilot]

I've also been close to people who slipped over the line and agree that it can be quite hard to see the signs. Given the changes in his behavior up to the event, it would not surprise me at all if he committed suicide. Very sad, but I don't see a conspiracy, at least not based on the information here.

Judy