Chicago Tribune Editorial: The military’s enemy within
An editorial in the Chicago Tribune writes:
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is pushing a bill that would take decisions about most serious crimes, including these sexual abuse cases, out of the hands of commanders and place them with professional military prosecutors. Some 44 senators are co-sponsoring or endorsing the Military Justice Improvement Act, including Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Illinois’ other senator, Democrat Dick Durbin, has not decided.
The military opposes the change, arguing it would undermine discipline and cohesion. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno has argued that “victims need to know that their commander holds offenders accountable, not some unknown third-party prosecutor.”
But commanders may be swayed by friendship, or they may let a soldier’s military talents outweigh the interests of victims. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey has acknowledged, “You might argue that we have become a little too forgiving because, if a perpetrator shows up at a court-martial with a rack of ribbons and has four deployments and a Purple Heart, there is certainly the risk that we might be a little too forgiving of that particular crime.”
