Give Them Guns
Troops And Crimes
New York Post
August 3, 2007
History’s best-behaved military
By Ralph Peters
The media love to trash our troops. Every crime alleged to have been committed by a soldier or Marine in Iraq is headlined until it seems that those in uniform are so busy with atrocities they haven’t got time to fight.
No accusation is too preposterous for “respected” media outlets to feature, and the left-wing press convicts our troops long before they see a courtroom. Our service members are portrayed (by those who never served) as a sadistic rabble.
But when you look at the facts - the hard numbers - a very different picture emerges.
While crimes committed by our troops can’t be condoned (and they certainly aren’t), official crime statistics make it clear that we have the best-behaved military in history - one that’s vastly more law-abiding than our general population.
The here-at-home numbers are readily available from public sources. So let’s compare some domestic crime rates with the misdeeds of those vicious storm-troopers of ours.
In the 19-month period - over a year and a half - from Jan. 1, 2006 until the morning you read this, misbehavior by our troops resulted in a total of 59 scheduled court-martials in Iraq - 21 of them general court-martials, which are reserved for the most-serious crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assault, arson and so forth). The other 38 were special court-martials, invoked for lesser offenses, such as disciplinary infractions or petty theft.
OK: 59 trials in 19 months, among an average troop population of almost 140,000. Compare that to civilian crime statistics back home, and it’s clear that any of us would welcome the chance to live among such model citizens - even though our troops are overwhelmingly within the age window where criminal behavior is most frequent.
Start with a city that Money magazine rated as “one of the 10 best places to live” in the United States: Ann Arbor, Mich. Home to a great university, the town has a population of about 113,300 - about 20,000 lower than our pre-surge troop numbers in Iraq.
In 2005 (the last year for which statistics are available), that ideal place to live recorded 1,476 crimes that, if committed by a soldier, would have required a general court-martial - plus a further 2,282 thefts and similar infractions that, depending on the details, would have been handled by either a general or a special court-martial.
Twelve months in Ann Arbor, 3,758 court-martial-equivalent trials. If all the crimes had been taken to court, which one doubts. Nineteen months in Iraq, under the complex stresses of combat? Fifty-nine court-martials. Guess that bastion of ethical liberalism in Michigan needs to go through basic training.
But let’s give peace a chance: The most dogmatically left-wing city in the United States is undoubtedly (the People’s Republic of) Santa Cruz, Calif. With a population of some 55,000 - about a third of our current troop numbers in Iraq - Santa Cruz, where the Age of Aquarius reigns, had 503 violent crimes in 2004 (the latest statistics available) and a total of 3,665 crimes that would qualify for court-martials.
Extrapolate those numbers to match our current troop strength, and you’d have a requirement for more than 10,000 court-martial equivalents. If Santa Cruz were as serious about punishing its criminals as our military is . . .
The military doesn’t do warnings and probation. If a soldier does the crime, he or she will do the time or pay the other relevant penalty - court-martials directly reflect the number of crimes committed. That means that our troops in a combat zone have had less than 1 percent of the crime rate in Santa Cruz - whose City Council in 2003 was proud to be the first in the United States to adopt a resolution denouncing the war in Iraq.
Nor are these hotbeds of peace, love and shirked responsibility alone in being criminal empires compared to the good order prevailing in our military. Take a genuinely decent American city, Lynchburg, Va., with a strong religious tradition, 11 colleges, universities and technical schools and a population in 2006 of 67,720 (about half the pre-surge number of troops in Iraq).
In 2005, Lynchburg suffered 857 criminal acts that would’ve demanded general court-martials in the military and a further 1,805 thefts, many of which would have resulted in special court-martials.
Yet Lynchburg is particularly well-behaved. The stats for many cities are far worse.
Now set those facts against the hypocrisy of so many in the media toward our men and women in uniform. Did any of the reporters wailing about the deplorable behavior of our troops in a half-dozen incidents over four years bother to put those crimes into perspective?
Our troops are performing remarkably well under difficult conditions, and our military does a solid job of screening out sociopaths. But, inevitably, some slip through (the private-for-life who recently conned The New Republic might qualify). And it’s the one scumbag among 10,000 honorable men and women in uniform who gets the press attention.
Of course, we rightly demand model standards of behavior from our troops, as we do from law-enforcement agents and officers. And today’s U.S. armed forces deliver, taking good order and discipline very seriously. We all should be proud of how selflessly and honorably our troops have served as the jackals on the home tear at the military’s carcass.
I learned an important lesson myself in digging out these statistics: I knew, of course, how decent our troops are. I served with them for almost 22 years (and testified at two court-martials in two decades). But on future trips to California - my favorite foreign country - I’ll be sure to give Santa Cruz a wide berth.
I’d hate to be the victim of an atrocity.
Ralph Peters is the author of the new book “Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the 21st Century.”
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This was an awesome post, Iggy.
I was initially leery about the arms deal, and still am to a degree, but what you’ve said has shown me its relation in regards to the greater picture of the geo-political situation.
It’s easy to get lost in all the lies, hearsay and bullshit being pumped out there, thank you for sweeping some of the debris away and adding some clarity to what’s actually going on.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:23 amYour average lefty doesn’t know the difference between a derringer and a howitzer. But they went to journo-school, and learned all about meta-narratives, so they’re obviously our intellecual superiors.
As for the Ralph Peters article, those crimes in Santa Cruz were cleary just oppressed victims of the Patriarchy(TM) expressing their far more moral culture, while any crime commited by a soldier is proof that the military is the domain of bloodthirsty Nazis.
/sarc
Great work. When can we expect you on Fox News? Or even CNN (there’s still hope for them, I won’t mention a certain outfit with worse ratings than a community access channnel)?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:41 amour military is awesome..they deserve much respect and honour..the sacrifices they make is unbelievable..God bless ‘em all
August 8th, 2007 at 3:57 amGreat work, Iggy! Brilliant, inspirational.
Thank you for your service. Godspeed.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:12 amWhich is why I’m angry that anti-war movies are coming out. In the Valley of Elah - though I haven’t seen it, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to portray the troops in a good light.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:13 amI’m at a loss for words, that was published in the NYT?
August 8th, 2007 at 5:24 amNew York Post…big difference.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:35 amNailed. Thank you Iggy. You explained everything so that even the chronic libs could understand if they try really hard. Why they just can’t seem to grasp the importance of what our military is doing will never be understood by most.
We will always stand by and support our military in the fullest sense of the words and, yes, I am always grateful that I was not born a liberal!
It is too bad you are not on T.V. so more of America could see you and listen to you.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:08 amThere are very few military writers, that I pay attention to, and Ralph Peters is one of them. And frankly, I can’t think of many who are better.
Good job Iggy. Your stuff is very good. Ever thought of doing an article for a service pub such as Infantry mag or Marine Corps Gazette?
August 8th, 2007 at 6:17 amThanks for the great feedback everyone. I am not too sure if I am made for TV, but I have considered writing editorials or for trade journals/magazines. I am still new at this but your remarks are inspirational. And thanks to all of you for loving America and taking the time to invest in our country’s future.
Semper Fi.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:41 amthanks iggy for your vids. thanks for taking the time to answer in a logical manner the taquiya of the left. the libs lie for their self interest, so really they aren’t illogical, they’re just liars. i listen to you and i think how can he have the patience to address all these inconsistencies? but somebody’s got to do it!
the banner in the background had an interesting effect on me. without knowing what it says, it already registers as terror. sort of like if you were sitting in front of a swastika. we might have media and politicians saying that that banner reads as one thing, but the general public who visits sites like pat’s is thinking another and recognizes that our war heroes are dealing with fucking terror.
thanks iggy for your service to our country, keep up the good work!
August 8th, 2007 at 7:57 amsemper fi!
Great video! I love the last part..haha
August 8th, 2007 at 1:15 pmLOL, great freakin post man. I really like your blooper/censor sound.
Can I join your think tank?
This Jackson guy not only takes extra stupid each morning, he owns a stupid factory and manufactures the stuff.
Great content and substance, bro. Most excellent vid.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:08 pmOnce again, very insightful. It just astounds me too see so many liberals with little or no grasp of middle east politics or Islamic beleif.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:10 pmThanks for shedding light on the arms deal, IGG!
A man bellies up to a bar muttering,”liberal assholes”
August 8th, 2007 at 6:57 pmA guy next to him says, “Hey I take offense to that”.
The man says, “Why, are you a democrat?”.
“No” the guy says “I’m an asshole”.
Semper Fi Iggy,
August 9th, 2007 at 12:39 pmI enjoy listening to your views through your vids. Dan(the infidel) is correct about trying to get your thoughts down on paper and having them published.
ok marc that joke was sought of funny.
i guess u can say i’m a liberal i had to laughg!!!
true that few American troops committed massacres against civilians…but there have been many of their comrades keeping silent about it….think…what would u do??
i mean would u report a buddy for shooting someone in the back??? easy to say ‘yes’…but then it happens….i mean…these guys can be like brothers…to report them?
wouldnt it be difficult.
anyone listen to mike savage?
August 11th, 2007 at 10:11 amhe is under attack for saying ‘anti-immigrant’ things
this is where i disagree with mike savage 100%%%
BUT…he has every rite to say what he says…
so this liberal says support savages first am right!!!
chk out his web site….michaelsavage.com
Great stuff as always Iggy! Man I hope when the General gets back that the democratic morons will agree that what we are doing is right but hell, they have their heads too far up their asses to care about the real world and what is really happening. Anyways keep up the great work!
August 12th, 2007 at 2:00 amGreat commentary Iggy. It’s so refreshing to hear a soldier talk about the war instead of those bobble head idiots in the newsroom. Thank you thank you thank you for your commitment and sacrifice to our country.
August 13th, 2007 at 12:03 amNice Video Keep up the good work or we will be marching to Hillary’s tune.
August 16th, 2007 at 10:30 amRalph Peters is awesome. Practically the only raw right wing voice in the New York media…
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:14 amIced tea just came out my nose. You bastard. I’m just going to have to put my glass down before I watch any of the vids here.
Well done, and much respect and thanks for your dedication and efforts, both in the military and here.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:58 pm