Theoretically, it should be harder to leave a POW behind, than it would be to leave someone who is missing with no indication of his circumstance of loss or whereabouts. Unfortunately, the United States Government has never had any difficulty leaving any man behind. The elimination of the POW designation makes it that much easier. The perception foisted on an unsuspecting public that there are no POWs in Iraq is simply wrong.

Why is the POW designation important? Here again, the answer is simple..... public perception. More and more the media describes Speicher and Maupin as missing, or disappeared. Recently, one article referred to Matt Maupin as "kidnaped." To the unknowing public, they simply are gone.

In an article for the Army Times, published December 15, Gina Cavallaro described the Maupin loss this way; "The only other U.S. soldier listed as missing/captured in Iraq is Staff Sgt. Keith M. Maupin, 23, of Batavia, Ohio. He disappeared during an ambush attack on a fuel convoy outside of Baghdad on April 9, 2004."

Disappeared! Maupin did not disappear. He was taken, captured by the enemy and one week later was displayed on television worldwide, by his captors. We may not know Sgt. Maupins current geographical location. However, we do know he was captured and photographed in captivity.

Quoting Army Human Resources Command spokeswoman Shari Lawrence, Cavallaro wrote: "Its simply because we dont know if he is deceased, so we have to say, if we dont know that, then we say where is he? Based on the evidence, she said, "we know that he was captured by unknown people so hes not a prisoner of war. By definition, hes missing-captured."

The article also contained the definitions for the DUSTWUN, and "Missing/Captured" status, as "taken from the Dept of Defense Instruction 1300.8, (sic) dated Decc 18, 2000." [Note: Correction Instruction is 1300.18.]

"Missing/Captured" A casualty status applicable to a person who is not at his or her duty location and is determined to have been seized as the result of action of an unfriendly military or paramilitary force in a foreign country."

The article also contained a definition for the phrase Prisoner of War as "taken from the Joint Publication 1-02." Joint Publication 1-02 as quoted in the article reads: "Prisoner of War (POW, not a casualty category)" A detained person as defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949. In particular, one who, while engaged in combat under orders of his or her government, is captured by an enemys armed forces."

We took a look at Joint Publication 1-02 which is actually the Dept. of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. The full definition of a Prisoner of War reads:

"A detained person as defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949. In particular, one who, while engaged in combat under orders of his or her government, is captured by the armed forces of the enemy. As such, he or she is entitled to the combatants privilege of immunity from the municipal law of the capturing state for warlike acts which do not amount to

breaches of the law of armed conflict. For example, a prisoner of war may be, but is not limited to, any person belonging to one of the following categories who has fallen into the power of the enemy: a member of the armed forces, organized militia or volunteer corps; a person who accompanies the armed forces without actually being a member thereof; a member of a merchant marine or civilian aircraft crew not qualifying for more favorable treatment; or individuals who, on the approach of the enemy, spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces. Also called POW or PW."

Based on these definitions, to the world Speicher, Maupin and Altaie are Prisoners of War under the Geneva Conventions. To their own government, they are ambiguously classified Missing/Captured.

16^th Year of Captivity  January 16^th marked the 16^th year of captivity for Scott Speicher. We recently came across two references to Speicher in Florida newspapers. In a Pensacola News Journal article Speicher is described as "initially declared dead, but officials later changed his status to missing." In a letter to the editor published in Florida Times Union, Speicher is referred to as "current status is MIA/presumed dead."

The "Missing/Captured" designation has served its purpose, just as the Department of Defense had hoped.

Israeli POWs Have New Champion  Associated Press reported, on December 17^th, 2006, that Senator John McCain visited the families of Israeli POWs Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. The two were captured July 12 by Hezbollah guerrillas. According to the article Senator McCain " met with the families of two captured Israeli soldiers Sunday, sharing his own harrowing story of survival behind enemy lines and promising to

work for their release...."

"I don't know if I was able to bring comfort, but we certainly said we would do everything in our power to bring attention to the situation and see that Geneva Conventions are observed," McCain, a Republican from Arizona, said after his meeting with the soldiers' relatives..... Omri Avni, Goldwasser's father-in-law, said McCain's experience gave his family a shred of optimism."

"He's Home"  those were the words of Laverne Ransbottom, as the casket containing the remains of her son, Lt. Frederick J. Ransbottom arrived back in Okalohoma. Missing since Mothers Day, May 12, 1968, Lt. Ransbottom was among those lost when a Special Forces Camp at Kham Duc was overrun by the enemy.

Back in November of 2006, we received a call from Mrs. Ransbottom telling us how happy she was with the identification. She wanted us to know this, because as she said we have dealt with so many bad identifications, that she wanted to share her good news.

Her son was recovered as he fell, with dog tags, ring, and wallet containing his identification papers. Repatriated in June of 2006, the identification was finalized in October and burial was scheduled for January 13, 2007. Also recovered, as he fell was PFC William Skivington. Skivington was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

FLASH! - 4 Soldiers Captured, Transported and Executed  Late last evening Associated Press reported that 4 Soldiers who died January 20^th were, in fact, captured and subsequently executed. In an article filed in Baghdad by Steven R. Hurst and Qassim Abdul-Zahra, the AP reported; [Begin Article] "In perhaps the boldest and most sophisticated attack in four years of warfare, gunmen speaking English, wearing U.S. military uniforms and carrying American weapons abducted four U.S. soldiers last week at the provincial headquarters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala and then shot them to death."

"The U.S. military confirmed a report earlier Friday by The Associated Press that three of the soldiers were dead and one was mortally wounded with a gunshot to the head when they were found in a neighboring province, about 25 miles from the compound where they were captured. A fifth soldier was killed in the initial attack on the compound."

"The new account contradicted a U.S. military statement on Jan. 20, the day of the raid on an Iraqi governor's office, that five soldiers were killed "repelling" the attack....."

"In a statement issued late Friday, the military said two of the soldiers were handcuffed together in the back seat of an SUV near the southern Iraqi town of Mahawil. A third dead soldier was on the ground nearby. The fourth soldier died on the way to the hospital..... None of the American or Iraqi officials would allow use of their names because of the sensitive nature of the information."

"The confirmation came after nearly a week of inquiries. The U.S. military in Baghdad initially did not respond to repeated requests for comment on reports that began emerging from Iraqi government and military officials on the abduction and a major breakdown in security at the Karbala site."

"Within hours of the AP report that four of the five dead soldiers had been abducted and found dead or dying about 25 miles east of Karbala, the military issued a long account of what took place. "The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution," said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multi-National Division-Baghdad."

"The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the compound," he said. "We are looking at all the evidence to determine who or what was responsible for the breakdown in security at the compound and the perpetration of the assault....."

"The attackers threw a grenade and opened fire with automatic rifles as they grabbed two soldiers inside the compound. Then the guerrilla assault team jumped on top of an armored U.S. Humvee and captured two more soldiers, the U.S. military officials said."

"In its statement, the U.S. military said one soldier was killed and three were wounded by a "hand grenade thrown into the center's main office which contains the provincial police chief's office on an upper floor."

The attackers captured four soldiers and fled with them and the computer east toward Mahawil in Babil province, crossing the Euphrates River, the U.S. military officials said."

"The Iraqi officials said the four were captured alive and shot just before the vehicles were abandoned. Police, who became suspicious when the convoy of attackers and their American captives did not stop at a roadblock, chased the vehicles and found the bodies, the gear and the abandoned SUVs."

"The military statement said: "Two soldiers were found handcuffed together in the back of one of the SUVs. Both had suffered gunshot wounds and were dead. A third soldier was found shot and dead on the ground. Nearby, the fourth soldier was still alive, despite a gunshot wound to the head."

"The wounded soldier was rushed to the hospital by Iraqi police but died on the way, the military said.

The military also said Iraqi police had found five SUVs, U.S. Army-type combat uniforms, boots, radios and a non-U.S. made rifle at the scene...." 

"The Defense Department has released the names of troops killed Jan. 20 but clearly identified only one as being killed because of the sneak attack. Capt. Brian S. Freeman, 31, of Temecula, Calif., "died of wounds suffered when his meeting area came under attack by mortar and small arms fire." Freeman was assigned to the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, Whitehall, Ohio."

"The only other troops killed that day in that region of Iraq were four Army soldiers said to have been "ambushed while conducting dismounted operations" in Karbala."

"The four were identified as 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Neb.; Spc. Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Prairieville, La.; Pfc. Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Homer, N.Y., and Pvt. Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Ala. All were with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, of Fort Richardson, Alaska." [End Article]

Department of Defense Press Release  The actual wording of the DoD Defense Press Release reporting this incident reads; "The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan 20 in Karbala, Iraq, from wounds sustained when their patrol was ambushed while conducting dismounted operations. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska." The full text is posted on our web site.

"In War the First Casualty is Truth"

The New York Post, in an editorial commenting on the capture and death of the four soldiers, stated; ".....Four U.S. soldiers, one of them a New Yorker, were captured - and promptly murdered - last Saturday in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles from Baghdad, officials confirmed. Two of the slain soldiers were found handcuffed together in the back of a vehicle. Soldiers die in combat, of course. But the murder of disarmed and helpless troops - killing POWs, in effect - is what's at issue here....."

The killing of "POWs," obviously the New York Post, like so many others, is unaware that the United States Government does not classify captured soldiers as POW. Domestically, they are listed as "missing/captured" assuming they are listed at all. We can not depend on the rules as outlined by the Geneva Conventions to protect our military in harms way. That under Geneva Conventions these brave young soldiers were considered POW means nothing. An enemy that executes their prisoners has no regard for the Geneva Conventions.

It is up to the United States to place a value on our captured and missing personnel. The designation currently used, "missing/captured" fails to provide that value. The Department of Defense must revert to the designation used since World War II and beyond..... Prisoner of War.

We've often asked the question, Who wants to tell Scott Speicher, Matt Maupin and now Ahmed K. Altaie, they are not Prisoners of War?

Today, we ask another question, Who wants to tell the families of Jacob N. Fritz, Johnathan B. Chism, Shawn P. Falter, and Johnathon M. Millican they didn't die as Prisoners of War?

The fact that the DoD lied about the circumstance of loss for these four soldiers is deeply disturbing. If this is the way DoD operates in Iraq, then Iraq is indeed Vietnam.

It Should Be Noted - We congratulate the Associated Press for their diligence in tracking down and reporting this story. If not for their efforts, and the sources who spoke with them, the true story regarding the loss of Jacob N. Fritz, Johnathan B. Chism, Shawn P. Falter, Johnathon M. Millican, might remain forever hidden. Just as the Department of Defense had hoped it would.

Unconfirmed At This Point.... Soldiers Missing in Somalia  Normally, we would wait for additional information before passing along this unconfirmed report. However, since the Department of Defense has confirmed, once again, the ease in which they lie about the loss of American Service members, we decided to pass this along.

The web site for Kenya London News reports a posting by Scott A. Morgan stating: "Reports are emerging that the US Air Strikes in Southern Somalia have a new wrinkle. According to an Arab Language Newspaper published in the Gulf State of Qatar they have received reports from both Arab and Western Diplomats that US troops are currently missing in the southern part of Somalia."

Why does Johnnie Webb still have a job?