Going Over Like a Lead Balloon

Oh, good. This will help the country maintain its unblemished image before the world:

FT. CARSON, Colo. — An Army interrogator convicted of killing an Iraqi general by stuffing him face-first into a sleeping bag can remain in the military and does not have to go to jail, a court-martial jury ruled Monday night.

The sentence was a stunning reprieve for Chief Warrant Officer Lewis E. Welshofer Jr., 43, who a few days ago faced possible life in prison and the dubious distinction of being the highest-ranking soldier tried on charges of murdering an Iraqi detainee.

The jury Saturday instead found him guilty of the lesser charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty, which carried a maximum three-year prison sentence and dismissal from the service. A dismissal would have denied Welshofer, a 19-year veteran, the military pension that he will qualify for in July.

After emotional pleas from Welshofer and his wife for leniency, the jury ruled Monday night that the interrogator must forfeit $6,000 of his salary over the next four months, receive a formal reprimand and spend 60 days restricted to his home, office and church.

So let me me get this one straight... He killed a man who was in U.S. custody, but instead of being convicted of the most serious charge, he was convicted of a far less serious charge and then "punished" in the lightest possible way.

*sigh*

I love that he can't go anywhere but "his home, office and church" until late March. A more fitting sentence would have kep him head-first in a sleeping bag until the Fourth of July.

Just to clarify, freedom and democracy were spread when Welshofer

put Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abed Hamed Mowhoush face-first in a sleeping bag, wrapped him in electrical wire and sat on his chest in November 2003. The 57-year-old general died after 20 minutes in the bag.

The full, disgusting story.