Civilians with military in Iraq subject to military law
WASHINGTON – Private contractors and other civilians serving with U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan could be subject for the first time to military courts-martial under a new federal provision that legal scholars say is almost certain to spark constitutional challenges.
The provision, which was slipped into a spending bill at the end of the last Congress and only recently came to light, is intended to close a long-standing loophole. But the provision also could affect others accompanying U.S. forces in the field, including civilian government employees and embedded journalists.
Critics have long complained that, unlike soldiers, contractors are rarely prosecuted for their actions, even after evidence surfaced that contractors mistreated prisoners or fired on U.S. troops.
Previously, civilians could be tried under the Uniform Code of Military Justice only during a declared war. Since military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan never involved a declaration of war, civilians have been exempt. But the new provision allows the code to be applied to certain civilians during a “contingency operation.” Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq both fit that definition.
The Supreme Court has struck down civilian convictions under military law, and no conviction of a civilian under the Uniform Code of Military Justice has been upheld in more than half a century.
New Mexico: Five weeks in forest
A camper who became stranded nearly five weeks ago in a national forest because she could not cross a swollen river was rescued Sunday, more than two weeks after the search for her was called off. A New Mexico National Guard crew waded across the icy Gila River to rescue a dehydrated and weak Carolyn Dorn of South Carolina, who entered the Gila National Forest alone on Dec. 6 for a two-week camping trip. Two hikers found her Friday evening.
N.C.: Fires break out in churches
Greenville police increased their patrols of churches across the city Sunday after fires broke out at two Baptist churches during the night and a break-in was discovered at a third. As word of the fires spread early Sunday, members of other churches in the Greenville area gathered to stand guard over their buildings, said Randy McKinney, a minister at one of the churches.
W. Virginia: Seven die in blaze
Fire ravaged a five-story apartment building in Huntington late Saturday night, killing at least seven people, including a child, and authorities said Sunday that they feared the death count could grow. Firefighters had called off their search for trapped residents during the night out of fear the structure could collapse, city fire marshal David Bias said. The cause of the fire may not been determined for days, he said.
Oregon: Club now a strip juice bar
The owner of Club 71, a strip club that has been opposed by Sunny Valley residents since it opened two years ago, has voluntarily relinquished the club’s liquor license. The club is operating as a juice bar, meaning customers as young as 18 can now see the entertainment.
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