Special forces vets urge Trump: Obama freed a traitor, please free American hero
The fight to correct the wrong perpetrated by the military justice system in the case of disgraced Lieutenant Clint Lorance — the U.S. Army’s former platoon leader in the war against the jihadists in Afghanistan — who was the victim of a politically-charged, wrongful court-martial. The young officer was declared guilty and imprisoned for doing his duty but now he has received morale boost, according to Col. Jamie Williamson, U.S. Army Special Forces (Ret.).
Col. Williams is the co-founder of OPSEC and a retired US Army Special Forces Colonel with over thirty-three years of service. He has served in the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Special Forces Group, and in a variety of Special Operations assignments.
California Congressman Duncan Hunter has personally written to President Donald Trump on behalf Lorance, requesting the pardon Barack Obama would not give. Hunter is a former U.S. Army Ranger who served as a platoon leader in Vietnam in 1969.
“This is great news, but as long as Lieutenant Lorance languishes in federal prison after the prosecution withheld key evidence of his innocence, we’ve got to keep applying as much pressure as we can,” said Rep. Hunter.
Unlike former Private Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence soldier who pled guilty to espionage charges — whose sentence was commuted by outgoing President Barack Obama — a brave combat veteran who pled not guilty in the deaths of two terrorists in Afghanistan is still locked away in federal prison. Not only was Manning rewarded for his treason by obtaining an early release, the Obama administration gave him a new identity — Chelsea Manning the transgender.
In 2012, Army First Lieutenant Clint Lorance ordered his troops to fire upon terrorists proven to have been involved in IED (improvised explosive device) attacks on U.S. personnel. According to OPSEC was unjustly tried in a military court and sentenced for murder for political reasons.
“A grave injustice has been done and we at OPSEC are determined to help Lieutenant Lorance receive the justice he deserves. And with a new Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon and a new President in the White House, we have a great opportunity to see this brave soldier set free,” said Col. Williamson.
Another U.S. Army officer, Col. Allen West, has also followed this case many are calling a miscarriage of justice:
“Now, new evidence in the case is leading to calls for clemency for Lorance. Anna Lorance said the family has not heard anything from the Army since Nov. 30, when their lawyer submitted papers seeking to have the conviction overturned. Lorance said new evidence obtained by the family’s lawyer indicates the men who were shot may actually have had ties to terrorism.
“And Lorance’s mother accuses the Army of withholding that information.
“What message are we sending to our men and women in uniform that we release terrorists for a vacay in Uruguay and we get all upset about treating terrorists not so nice — yet we’re throwing our troops into jail for killing the bad guys?
“But even worse — purposefully hiding evidence?
“If you recall, the exact same thing occurred in the case of Army 1LT Michael Behenna, when exculpatory evidence was withheld in his trial by the prosecution,” said Col. West, who also served as a Republican lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives.