Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 6, 2008 10:42:29 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Army Waivers Linked to Suspect Soldiers

Posted Jul 13, 08 7:17 PM CDT in Crime & Courts 

(Newser) – Dozens of US criminals who were granted Army waivers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan have been linked to in-service problems, the Sacramento Bee reports. In a year-long study, the paper connected "suspect soldiers"—accused of beating prisoners, stealing weapons, and more—to troubles back home. Of 18 with felony arrest or mental health records, eight were involved in Iraq incidents and a ninth killed himself.

"Criminal history is the best predictor of future behavior," one expert said. "Any time you lower your standards, you're going to raise the risk. No question about it." And the Army has lowered standards: Recruits receiving "moral conduct" waivers increased from from 4.6% in 2003 to 11.2% in 2007. The military defended its policy, saying the waivers reflected "standards in our society" that "have changed over the years."

Source Sacramento Bee

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • US Kills Mastermind of Baghdad Bombings

    Oct 4, 08 7:35 AM CDT
    US Kills Mastermind of Baghdad Bombings The US has killed a senior leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq suspected of masterminding one of the deadliest bombings in Baghdad, the AP reports. Mahir Ahmad Mahmud al-Zubaydi, also known as Abu Assad or Abu Rami, allegedly directed the cell responsible for a  series of blasts that killed more than 200 people in 2006, as well as car bomb and suicide attacks this week targeting two Shiite mosques that killed 2 dozen.


    More »

  • CBS Reporter Under Scrutiny for Iraq Booty

    Oct 3, 08 11:55 AM CDT
    CBS Reporter Under Scrutiny for Iraq Booty CBS chief correspondent and tabloid catnip Lara Logan has two portraits of Saddam Hussein in her office, and US Customs wants to know why. The art was recovered from the wreckage of a Baghdad palace, and it's illegal to take such items out of Iraq. Customs prosecuted a Fox News employee for similar actions, reports the New York Post.
    More »

  • Missile Strikes Are Learning Tool: CIA

    Sep 17, 08 5:30 PM CDT
    Missile Strikes Are Learning Tool: CIA The CIA purposely uses missile strikes to "tickle" enemy groups, often by targeting a single person, to learn from their responses, agency chief Michael Hayden said today. Hayden also told a gathering of Air Force members the CIA has "picked up insights" from working alongside the military, the AP reports. The agency often uses military weaponry, like unmanned aircraft, in missions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. More »

  • Bush Pulled Rank on Military Over Surge

    Sep 8, 08 3:14 PM CDT
    Bush Pulled Rank on Military Over Surge In the months leading up to the Iraq surge, President Bush faced a revolt by frustrated Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward writes in a new book, The War Within. Bush dumped the military leaders’ advice as Iraq spun out of control in fall of 2006, pushing a five-brigade surge on the hesitant generals while pulling rank. More »

  • US 'Spied on Iraqi Leaders'

    Sep 5, 08 4:21 AM CDT
    US 'Spied on Iraqi Leaders' The Bush administration conducted an extensive spying operation on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other Iraqi leaders even while seeking to win their trust, according to a new book from the Washington Post's Bob Woodward. The book portrays an administration hamstrung by indecision as its Iraq strategy fell apart in 2006, and a detached president orchestrated "overconfident" briefings on the situation.
    More »

A U.S. Army soldier rides inside a mine-resistant vehicle in Iraq on Friday, June 27, 2008.   (AP Photo)
A U.S. soldier of the 101st Airborne division is seen during a patrol in Khost, Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A youth looks at a U.S. army soldier as he takes position while on patrol in Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City, Iraq, Thursday, July 3, 2008.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 4)

Tags

Iraq  • Iraq war  • military  • American troops


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Crime & Courts Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »