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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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January 31st,
2007 - Community Rallies Behind Soldier |
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Community Rallies Behind
Soldier By Tommy Millsaps The Monroe County Advocate January 31, 2007 His future is on the line. He could spend the rest of
his life in a military prison. But if the supporters of Staff Sgt. Raymond
Girouard have anything to say about it, the Sweetwater native will have his
name cleared. “We need to stand behind
this young man and his family,” said the Rev. Larry Orr. Orr was one of several
speakers who spoke on behalf of Girouard Saturday as dozens of the accused
101st Airborne soldier’s friends, family and fellow church members gathered
at City Hall. Girouard, a 2001 Sweetwater
High School graduate, is scheduled to stand trial in a court-martial
beginning March 13 at Fort Campbell, Ky. The other soldiers charged
in connection with the May 9, 2006, deaths of three Iraqi men while on a
military operation in Iraq have agreed to plea bargains. Military prosecutors say the
soldiers intentionally released the Iraqi captives that day so they could
shoot and kill them. One soldier admitted to a
“mercy” killing of one of the wounded Iraqis. But Girouard and his family
have steadfastly maintained he is not a murderer. Girouard, who was raised in
Sweetwater by his grandparents Ronald and Pat Bentley, is an Army Ranger who
has served two combat tours in Iraq. Girouard and his supporters
contend he was only following orders that day during a dangerous raid at a
chemical complex 60 miles north of Baghdad. Supporters have mounted a
vigorous effort to raise money to pay for a civilian attorney to represent
Girouard. Before Saturday, nearly half
of the $27,000 needed to pay for an attorney had been raised. But the balance of the money
for the lawyer’s pay and travel expenses is needed by the first of March. Girouard’s supporters say
the efforts are worth it. In October Bonnie Cleveland
traveled from Sweetwater to a Charleston, S.C., Naval base to visit the young
man she has known for years. Girouard is held there
awaiting his court-marital. “I have looked into his eyes
and his heart,” she told the crowd gathered at City Hall. “I believe he is
innocent of these serious charges.” External link: http://monroe.xtn.net/index.php?table=news&template=news.view.subscriber&newsid=137106 |