“A crusading three-star general has sparked outrage within the Army Special Forces and Marine Special Operations Command by publicly condemning and twice bringing legal actions against members of their forces,” reported Sharon Behn in the Washington Times on October 10th. “None of Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney’s actions has resulted in a conviction, but they have roiled the military community, led to the resignations of several top-trained Marines, and sparked accusations of improper command influence.”
And that has sparked at least one congressman to lodge a complaint with the Secretary of Defense, demanding an investigation of Kearney, who is the deputy commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command
(SOCOM).
Last March, Kearney raised suspicions about special ops Fox Company in Afghanistan when he redeployed all 120 members “halfway through an internal preliminary investigation into the Marines’ response to an ambush on March 4.” According to Behn, “The Marines were accused of shooting indiscriminately at bystanders along a road in the town of Banikot.”
Behn notes that “Gen. Kearney directed in June that charges of premeditated murder be brought against Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Troy Anderson and Capt. Dave Staffel, even though the two soldiers already had been exonerated by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command. The charges, stemming from the shooting death of an Afghan man, were later dropped when authorities decided the victim was a legitimate target.”
Some associated with the incident are also calling for an investigation of Kearney, with the father of one Marine accusing the general of a “possible criminal conspiracy” which has ruined the careers of some top officers.
Posted on October 17th, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: National
A quick look at LTG Kearney’s biography shows a pretty rapid rise thru the ranks. He graduated from West Point in 1976, so he’s gotten to the three star level in 31 years. Also, he was nominated for promotion to major general (two stars) in November 2005, then nominated for promotion to lieutenant general in May 2007, which means he went from one star rank to three star rank in about 18 months. Soldiers who get promoted this fast are either strategic/tactical geniuses (who usually end up riding a desk where their intellectual skills can be better put to use), wild man killing machines (who usually themselves get killed off before they reach the top), politicians, or some combination of the aforementioned. Most likely, LTG Kearney is a combination soldier/politician in the tradition of the fictitious Courtney Massengale from Anton Myrer’s book “Once An Eagle.”
Like they say, the cream rises til it turns sour.
I laughed when I saw the ‘Courtney Massengale’ reference of one writer. Having served in A’stan during four tours all at a senior operational SOF level - the last of which under the direction of the LTG - I’m not surprised as to the investigation. I’ve been told that the Marines were a little out there and not quite ready for their mission, whether it (their removal) needed to go to the extremes it did is a question to be answered; but I do know MSG Anderson personally and found it odd that he’d be under investigation for such an offense. If the Congressman wants a true answer, I suggest he review the findings of the USASFC investigation (15-6) and give the SOCCENT JAG immunity - then the picture will become quite clear; at least in the undue influence over the two Green Berets.
Kearney is just another in the string of JSOC general officers who have the agenda to protect their rice bowl and are not afraid of who they throw under the bus. Of all the names brought into question with reference to the Pat Tillman investigation - who were the two left holding the bag; LTG Kensinger and BG Jones (two Green Berets), not a single JSOC wonder boy. That includes Abazaid, who if you check that history line it will find its way back to JSOC. When you have to justify an unlimited budget and an unrestricted charter it’s not a wonder when you have to sometimes deflect criticism to others in your neighborhood.
I am tired of Generals giving our money away. Let the country live in sack cloth and ashes. Why are we still in Afghanistan. Did we adopt this nation to be the 51 th state. Burn the country to the ground and come home. Why are we spending billions of dollars to kill uneducated goat herders who live in $500 dollar houses that have no electricity, water or toilets. Unless, they are drowning in oil, gold, or some other natural resource, it is not our vault that they are poor. Let them complain to their god not ours. Unless, this nation starts coming up with some money to pay for all of the development they seem to think they are entitled to have! We need to drop this country like a hot rock and make it very clear; that if we come back the nation it will not exist! If they think that they can blackmail us then I say burn the nation from 40,000 feet and all of their cities to the ground-then say bye-bye! Unless, they got money then don’t call us and we will not call them! Don’t come to America. In spite of our moronic President, we don’t need Afghanistan and Pakistan for nothing! Let them kill each other and let them starve to death and die in the process!