JAG s09e20 Episode Script

Not only have we captured Saddam Hussein, we have also captured or killed almost all of his most trusted lieutenants.
And I want to introduce two men who have been key to this success Major General Earl Watson of the United States Marines and General Mohammed Jabra of the Iraqi Army.
As of today, these two outstanding generals are assigned to lead the joint task force charged with capturing all remaining high-value targets.
Ladies and gentlemen, General Watson and General Jabra.
General Jabra? General Jabra? Could you give us the Iraqi point of view on relations with the U.
S.
military? I speak for all Iraqi people when I say that our trust in your military has grown, as our nation ows more secure.
On a personal level, I've had many late-night cups of coffee with General Watson and have found him to be quite agreeable.
Though perhaps a little obsessed with American football.
General Jabra? General Jabra? General Watson? Sir? General Watson? General, are you confident you're the right man to be working so closely with General Jabra and the other Iraqis, given your hostile attitude toward their religion? I don't know what you're talking about.
General, I was at the Alexandria Baptist Church yesterday when you gave your guest sermon.
You described Islam as a second-rate religion and said we're doing battle with the Devil.
What I said in church And what I believe Is simply that the United States is engaged in a global war against evil.
General Watson, are you admitting to this accusation? General Watson? General Watson? General Watson? Mr.
Secretary? This media frenzy over General Watson has reached from Norway to Zanzibar.
Zanzibar, folks.
Believe me, it doesn't do us any good anywhere.
The international community is already suspicious of our motives.
I agree the general may have chosen his words poorly.
However, what he said is not entirely false.
We are at war with a decidedly evil people.
General Watson sounded like he was equating evil with Islam.
Well, that's not what he said.
But that's how some of our allies and enemies are going to interpret it.
Well, if we're going to reassure them that the general is not a fanatic, we need to know what else he said.
Did he really call Islam a "second-rate religion"? Well, the last I checked, church sermons were protected by the Constitutional provisions for freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Military personnel are not as free as other Americans, Commander.
The D.
O.
D.
, I.
G.
And the Marine Corps have requested JAG investigate the general's remarks.
We'll get right on it, sir.
I'm not eager to see General Watson get burned.
He's a courageous officer, and he's proved vital in our counterinsurgency efforts.
Mr.
Secretary, um In order for us to reassure our allies Or anyone else, for that matter Our investigation needs to be independent of any Undue pressure.
Of course, A.
J.
And I'd like to say that I'm glad the general will be investigated by someone of Muslim heritage.
I think that'll enhance our credibility.
Sir, I don't feel comfortable having my cultural background factor in my assignments.
Well, Colonel, I've come to learn that religion is a factor in everything.
Good luck.
And do me one little favor.
Don't talk to the press.
When you're on patrol in Baghdad or Manning an Iraqi checkpoint, what do you think would be the most important phrase to know? Yes, Captain.
"Qif WA-IL-la SA-et-leg el-far Stop or I will shoot.
" Uh, yes, Amira.
Actually, that means, "Stop or I will release the mice.
" What you want is, "Qif WA-IL-la SA-et-leg qw-naar.
" Now, people, let's, uh try and get that right.
But I think there's another phrase when in Iraq you would find to be very important.
And that is, "Nahnoo hoona limoo-saa-edu-tek We are here to help you.
" Very good, General.
I'll quit while I'm ahead.
Let us thank Amira Sattar for her expert assistance.
Now, Marines, I want you to have everything in your notebooks fully digested by 0800 tomorrow.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Thank you, Amira.
You're welcome, General.
General, sir.
This is Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie.
I'm Commander Rabb.
We're with Headquarters JAG.
Colonel.
Hello, sir.
Commander.
Sir.
I was told to expect a visit.
Please, have a seat.
Thank you, sir.
What would you like to know? Well, sir, why don't we start with what you said at the church? According to Jill Waddington, the ZNN reporter, you called Islam a "second-rate religion.
" I don't recall my exact words.
I suspect Ms.
Waddington exaggerated.
But I probably did say something like that, yes.
You're offended? We're listening, sir.
Commander, I'm aware that in this morally relativistic age, I'm supposed to declare every religion equal, and Christianity is no better than Zoroastrianism.
But I believe that any religion that doesn't accept Jesus Christ as our Savior is not following the true path.
If that makes me insensitive, then so be it.
Well, sir, you're certainly honest.
But you're essentially dividing the world into Christians and infidels.
That's not a word I would use, Colonel.
Sir, did you as the reporter claims State that this country is presently "doing battle with the Devil"? Commander, whether you believe the Devil is real or just a metaphor, wouldn't you agree that an evil force was behind 9/11? Well, that would be difficult to deny, General.
Sir, in your guest sermon, did you equate Islam with evil? No.
But there are certain aspects of Islam that trouble me.
The religion has a warrior streak that is too easily appropriated as a justification for Holy war and terrorism.
In all fairness, sir, Islam explicitly condemns terrorism.
And Christianity has been misused to justify everything from enslaving Africans to massacring American Indians.
That's true, Colonel, and I condemn that, as well.
But Ms.
Waddington only mentioned part of my sermon.
What was the other part, sir? That all of the world's peoples are our brothers and sisters.
And it is our Christian duty to protect them from tyranny and violence.
But don't trust my recollection of the sermon, Commander.
Ask the people who heard me speak.
General Watson was recommended to me by a minister in Norfolk.
The general gave a guest sermon there last year.
Were you happy with the guest sermon the general gave this past Sunday? I don't see what all the fuss is about.
His message was, "Everybody is your neighbor.
And you have to love thy neighbor as thyself.
" I've been the secretary here since 1972.
Haven't missed a single Sunday service since I started.
Then you heard General Watson's sermon? You won't tell Reverend Owens everything I said, will you? Not if you don't want me to.
To be honest, I felt kind of uncomfortable.
General Watson came down pretty hard on Islam.
What exact did he say? He said Muslims believe it's their religious duty to conquer the infidels.
He said most Muslims are good, peaceful people, and very religiously observant.
So, he never indicated that Islam was somehow evil? Absolutely not.
Now, he said all religions are second to Christianity, but we should respect them.
He never exactly called Islam "evil.
" But he said according to opinion polls, most Muslims support the terrorists.
He emphasized most Muslims hate the terrorists.
He even mentioned some opinion polls to that effect.
He went on like that for over an hour.
Then he was gonndo a slide show.
Thankfully, the projector broke down.
Unfortunately, the projector broke down.
But I could have listened to General Watson forever.
He was inspiring.
A true man of God.
My father was a Navy chaplain since before I was born.
Thank you.
I never heard him once say a single negative word about another religion.
Yeah, no matter how we handle this, we'll offend a lot of people.
You okay? Yeah, I'm fine.
Except I could use some help on this case.
I'd be glad to.
Just let me know if I get overly sanctimonious.
You, Sturgis? Oh, boy.
What? I was hoping this would go away.
I'm being investigated.
For what? I'm afraid we have another cultural insensitivity case.
Commander Turner stands accused of anti-Korean bias.
That surprises me, sir.
Last fall, the commander and a Lieutenant Yi were assigned to interrogate some North Korean submariners.
Lieutenant Yi claims the commander's attitudes caused the Navy to lose valuable Intel.
I want you to investigate.
I've never heard the commander make any anti-Korean or anti-Asian remarks, sir.
Well, if these allegations prove true, I want them documented.
But if they're false, I want Turner's record cleared.
Understood? Yes, sir.
What? I was in the same position a year ago, sir.
I had Commander Turner's professional future in my hands.
Well, fortunately, he survived that experience.
Barely, sir.
Well, you'll do fine.
That'll be all.
Yes, sir.
So, what have you got on General Watson? We've talked to seven people who heard his guest sermon last Sunday, sir.
And each one has a different story.
But taken together, they indicate General Watson publicly denigrated Islam.
The evidence is highly ambiguous, sir.
You two ever get tired of disagreeing? Yes, sir.
No, sir.
Sir, if the Colonel is correct, General Watson is guilty of conduct unbecoming.
And not only that, his public statements may be undermining our war on terrorism.
Sir, I think we're being roped into a politically correct witch hunt.
Some overly ambitious TV reporter makes exaggerated claims.
Suddenly we're all jumping through hoops.
Well, Commander, you're going to need a 12-foot ladder for this one.
I taped this about ten minutes ago.
There have been some stunning new developments in the story.
Two and a half years ago, ZNN shot footage of a church service at a Marine Corps base in Virginia.
That footage never aired at the time, but when the current controversy surfaced, our news staff was able to locate the tape.
The speaker you're about to see is Marine General Earl Watson.
Our nation is under attack from men who believe, as the Koran says, that you must "Fight the unbelievers wherever you find them.
" We are locked in a worldwide struggle.
And our enemy thinks that we are soft.
Well, they are about to find out that we are a mighty Christian army and we will win this Holy war.
Heart.
General Watson has been awarded two silver stars and a purple heart.
He's served his country with distinction for 25 years.
He knew the rules, sir.
As a high-ranking officer, you've got to watch your tongue.
I bet you enjoy that part of the job, don't you, A.
J.
At any rate, a court of inquiry has been convened to examine General Watson's conduct.
I think that's a wise decision, sir.
Yes, and I want to keep it closed to the press.
Sir, you're aware that a court of inquiry can recommend anything from a complete exoneration to a court-martial.
I'd tell you the result that I'm hoping for, but I guess to avoid impropriety, I'd better hold my tongue.
Bet you enjoy that part of the job, don't you, sir.
Oh, yeah.
I realize we can't stop people from being prejudiced.
But there's no excuse for shooting off your mouth and alienating half t world.
So when it comes to prejudice, "Don't ask, don't tell?" Colonel Mackenzie.
Jill Waddington, ZNN.
We've already met.
Who authorized you to be in this building? I have a meeting with the public affairs office.
Why is this inquiry being held in private? With all due respect, Ms.
Waddington, we have nothing to say.
Is JAG attempting to whitewash General Watson's actions? The P-A-0's office is upstairs.
Colonel, because your general acted inappropriately, is that a reason to be angry with the press? How did she get onto General Watson in the first place? She says she was driving past the church and she just happened to see General Watson's name on the message board out front.
Sounds convenient.
Think she had a source? I'll subpoena her phone records.
The general apparently used slides during his talks.
We should get a hold of those, too.
I feel a little hypocritical.
I'm being investigated for prejudice, and here I am going P-C on the general.
Your case is totally different than General Watson's.
Both of us could have our careers destroyed.
Sturgis, there's no way you're guilty.
You're far too obsessively rational to be prejudiced against anyone.
Thanks I think.
Besides, I'm sure Lieutenant Roberts will determine there's nothing to it.
Bud is investigating? I I thought you knew.
Watson Our nation is under attack from men who believe, as the Koran says, that they must "fight the unbelievers wherever they find them.
" Members of the Court, this quote is often used, to "prove" that Islam is a warlike religion.
It's taken totally out of context.
It actually refers to a war between a small Muslim community and the local tribesmen who were torturing and killing them.
I will grant the general may have misinterpreted the Koran.
However, that has little to do with the issue at this court of inquiry.
The general in uniform and in public, has been feeding false stereotypes about Islam.
Let's watch the rest of it, Colonel.
We are engaged in a worldwide struggle.
And our enemy thinks that we are soft.
But they are about to find out that we are a mighty Christian army and we will win this Holy war.
The terrorists don't represent Islam any more than the Ku Klux Klan represents Christianity.
The general refers to a mighty Christian army.
A Holy war.
Our president has been very explicit that this is not a religious war.
Our President has also used the word "crusade" which has a definite religious subtext.
Religion is a part of life.
Our leaders need to feel they can speak without censoring their every word.
This kind of loose talk endangers our national security.
There is no evidence that a few inappropriate words will have any impact whatsoever.
It's bad enough that some radical Islamists are talking Holy war.
We don't need our own generals following suit.
Now the Arab street is watching this.
A few more tapes like this, and Osama won't need to make his videos anymore.
Gentlemen, I gave this sermon five days after 9/11.
We were pulling bodies from the rubble.
Our nation was under attack.
I wasn't paying attention to the niceties of speech.
Did you clear your comments with public affairs in advance? Public affairs had a lot on its plate at the time.
Were you aware the media would be at this church service? No.
I flew in from Tampa the night before.
But when you arrived at the chapel, and saw a TV news crews, why didn't you moderate your comments? I believe the general has answered that question, sir.
for moderation.
Emotions were running high.
Yes, it was a crisis situation.
Exactly when we need our military leaders at their best.
Enter.
Sir, we need that press release this afternoon.
Half the letters to the editor say that General Watson deserves the Medal of Honor.
The other half say he should be hung upside down by his toes.
We are a divided country, sir.
Fortunately, we Americans have one thing in common.
Bad traffic? Baseball.
Actually, sir, I'm not much of a fan.
I've fired people for less, Coates.
Sir, I told SECNAV we'd fax it to him by 1500.
Very well.
You take shorthand, right? Yes, sir.
I took a course last summer.
I must say, I found it much more enlightening than my Psychology 101 course.
Okay The formal inquiry into General Earl Watson's conduct is expected to be completed by the end of this week.
In the meantime, may I suggest that we set aside all our religious differences and instead concentrate our efforts on bringing a major league baseball team back to the fine city city of Washington, DC.
I don't think that will fly, sir.
Why don't I work on a first draft and then bring it into you, sir.
Thanks, Coates.
You're welcome, sir.
Tell me something, Harm.
Were you offended by the general's comments about Islam? A lot of things offend me, Mac.
It's what gets me going in the morning.
Seriously.
Look, do I agree with all of General Watson's views no.
However, the general has spent his life protecting our freedoms.
Now we're trying to take away his right to freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Colonel.
Now, doesn't that offend you? What is it? Jill Waddington's cell phone records.
Prior to visiting the Alexandria Baptist Church, she spoke on the phone twice with a Marine corporal.
Her source.
Sir.
Thiss for you, Lieutenant.
I understand you're the point man on the Lieutenant Yi investigation.
It's not something I requested, sir.
I put together all my papers for you on the matter.
Peruse them at your leisure.
Thank you, sir.
Don't you worry about it, Lieutenant.
I'm sure you'll do a fine job.
Ma'am, is there any way to keep my identity secret? What are you concerned about, Corporal Hamud? No one likes a whistle-blower, ma'am.
That's why I asked Ms.
Waddington not to tell anyone about me.
And how did you meet Ms.
Waddington? I met her at Parris Island, when she was doing a story on boot camp.
So a couple weeks ago when I heard General Watson was gettin a high-profile assignment from CENTCOM, I decided to call her.
And why was that, Corporal? Ma'am, you know that speech they're showing on TV, from after 9/11? Well, I was there.
And it upset you? Yes, ma'am.
I'm a Muslim.
What were you doing at a church service, Corporal? It was not a church service, ma'am.
It was an interfaith service, ma'am.
That's how it was advertised in the Command Plan of the Day.
As a time for all Marines to come together, no matter what their religion and pray together.
And that's why you went there? Ma'am, when 9/11 happened, a lot of off-color comments got thrown around, "raghead this" and "towelhead that.
" I thought this service would be a chance to worship with my fellow Marines, and feel solidarity.
Is that the way it worked out, Corporal Hamud? No, ma'am.
When General Watson started trash talking Islam It seemed like my country was turning against me.
That must have been distressing.
Ma'am, I'm getting out of the Marine Corps next month.
I don't blame my decision on General Watson.
But his speech sure didn't make me want to re-enlist.
Corporal, were you the only non-Christian at the service? There were at least two other Muslims and two Jews that I knew of, ma'am.
And they were all very upset also.
Does counsel for the party have any questions? Yes, I do.
Corporal Hamud, did you ever hear General Watson say anything questionable other than that one time? No, sir.
But I didn't have much contact with him.
So then would you agree that there are many Muslims serving in the Marine Corps who are happy? I do know several Muslims who are relatively content, yes, sir.
So then there is no anti-Muslim sentiment that pervades the Marine Corps? I'd say when it comes to anti-Muslim prejudice, the Marine Corps is about the same as the rest of society, sir.
But our leaders shouldn't be out there fanning the flames, sir.
When 9/11 happened, we were all in a state of shock.
To some extent that excuses General Watson's actions.
However, the general disobeyed military regulations by delivering a potentially inflammatory speech in front of the press, in uniform, without getting it cleared beforehand.
Furthermore, there is some evidence that he has continued a pattern of questionable remarks since then.
General Watson, your rhetoric has damaged our nation's relations with our allies.
Your outspoken views disrupted good order and discipline within the Marine Corps.
This court of inquiry recommends that you be charged with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer And that these charges be disposed of at general court-martial.
All the major American networks and Al Jazeera will be covering the court-martial.
By the time this is over, sir, General Watson's controversial statements about Islam will be seen by hundreds of millions of people.
Why don't we just accept the fact that some of our leaders have strong opinions and that's what makes them great leaders? Great leaders don't actively promote the clash of civilizations.
Mac, that was the media's doing.
General Watson merely stated his belief that God is not neutral in the struggle between freedom and terrorism.
No, I think God would prefer it if people didn't throw his name around quite so much.
Excuse me, sir.
Good morning, everybody.
Mr.
Secretary.
As you were.
I just dropped by to thank the admiral for keeping the investigation of General Watson so quiet.
Sir, there is no way Just kidding.
Just kidding, A.
J.
At this point, we'll just let the chips fall where they may.
Let's show our allies and our enemies American military jurisprudence at its finest.
Yes, sir.
Colonel Mackenzie, uh, who are you planning to have testify? Actually, uh, Mr.
Secretary, I was thinking of calling you.
General Watson is charged with speeding up the flow of Intel to all field units that are tracking top-ranked terrorists.
Sir, have the general's comments about Islam affected his ability to fulfill his mission? Now that they've been publicized, they could have a negative effect, yes.
In what way? calls for speculation.
It's well within the witness's field of expertise.
Overruled.
The general allegedly said that we're engaged in a war against Islam; That could make some Iraqis less likely to cooperate with our military.
Mr.
Secretary, could this endanger the safety of our troops in the field? Objection, Your Honor.
Again overruled.
In general, when we don't have cooperation, the safety of our troops becomes an issue.
Sir, have the general's statements given ammunition to Islamic extremists in their efforts to gain new recruits? They could have, yes.
And how have the general's statements affected Muslims in the United States military? I can't imagine they're too happy about it.
They didn't sign up to be in a Christian army.
They signed up to be American servicemen and women.
Thank you, Mr.
Secretary.
You're welcome.
Sir, aside from Marine Corporal Hamud, have any other Muslim serviceman ever complained about General Watson? According to Headquarters, Marine Corps, there have been no other complaints.
Have the general's words had any clear and direct impact on the war on terrorism, sir? There's been no direct impact that I could quantify.
Have the general's statements inflamed any moderate Muslims and caused them to pick up the bloody sword of jihad? Not to my knowledge, Commander.
How has the general performed in his mission to capture Saddam Hussein and other Baathist loyalists, sir? Admirably.
He was instrumental in the capture of over 45 of the targets in the famous deck of cards.
Do you feel, Mr.
Secretary, removing General Watson from this assignment would negatively impact the war on terrorism? You could definitely make that argument.
You have calls from the Anti-Defamation League, the Council for Islamic Relations, the American Association of Churches.
Coates, in the 193os, do you know who the most famous Jew was? Uh.
Albert Einstein, sir? More famous than Einstein.
Sigmund Freud? More famous than Freud.
I give up, sir.
Hank Greenberg.
Hank Greenberg, sir? A.
k.
a.
Hammering Hank.
Hall of Fame, first baseman, left-fielder.
Led the troit Tigers to four World Series.
It figures this would be about baseball, sir.
Hank Greenberg did more to combat anti-Semitism in the '3os than any other man.
When you're rooting for a Jewish guy to hit one over the fence, it makes it harder to hate Jews.
Coates, you know what this world needs? Stockings that don't run, sir? A Muslim who can hit But we have had famous Muslim athletes, sir.
Muhammed Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar I know, I know, I know, but it's not baseball.
Petty Officer, may I see you for a minute? Is something wrong, ma'am? In my office.
Petty Officer, we have a question.
Is Meredith's marriage to the admiral on or off? Sir, I-I don't think I'm at liberty We need to know for sure, Jennifer.
Otherwise, one of us is going to embarrass ourselves by asking.
Incurring the admiral's wrath, which we don't want.
I hear that sir.
We have to know if the wedding is on so that we can all make plans.
Sir, the admiral has never told me anything directly.
You know something.
Yes, sir, I do.
And those are two words the admiral won't be saying.
Americans, for some reason, can't seem to tell the difference between real Islam and the terrorists' perversion of Islam.
When I saw the general's sermon on television, I was disturbed.
Why is that, General Jabra? I've always admired General Watson.
I fought beside him.
I've trusted him with my life.
Now I learn that he despises my religion.
My feeling was, a sense He despises me.
Did your fellow Iraqi military and police officers have similar reactions? Some of them heard the general.
It didn't really bother them.
They said it was just words.
How did the other Iraqi officers react? Many Iraqis, including military officers, are saying, "You see what these Americans think of us? "No wonder the reconstruction is going so slowly," that "They don't really give a damn.
" Thank you.
Your witness.
General, are the Iraqi people grateful that Saddam Hussein and his cohorts are gone? No question.
Are they aware of General Watson's role in that, sir? They know that the general has been effective in bringing torturers and murderers to justice.
Do you feel the Iraqi people, in the light of everything General Watson has done, could forgive his comments? I can only speak for myself, Commander.
Please do, sir.
When I saw the general's comments on television, the ones that have been verified, he made them right after 9/11.
For that reason, I'm willing as you would say "Cut him some slack.
" Also Also what, sir? I do not wish to offend.
However, I sometimes personally feel as though Christianity is a very odd religion.
You have a Father, a Son, a Holy Ghost? What is this one God, three gods, what? So If I find your religion a little bizarre, I can't get too angry with you for finding mine Equally strange.
Today's witnesses were a mixed bag for the prosecution.
In fact, some foreign observers questioned whether the prosecution is actually trying to win this case, since it could prove embarrassing for the government.
Stupid twit.
Well, that we agree on.
Listen, I need your witness list for tomorrow.
Still working on it.
Mac, you know Skip it, Harm.
I'm not interested in a deal.
Neither am I.
In fact, I think you should have the charges dropped.
Dream on.
All you have are statements the general made right after 9/11.
And the ones he made at the Alexandria Baptist Church less than one month ago.
There's no objective record of his statements, Mac.
You call witnesses to testify that he attacked Islam and the church; I'll call witnesses who remember the exact opposite.
I believe Commander Turner's racially biased against Koreans.
And you believe this bias restricted your ability to gather Intel.
It did, Lieutenant.
In what way? A North Korean submarine crew was rescued by one of our attack subs.
Commander Turner allowed a sailor to antagonize a North Korean skipper, who became mentally agitated.
Then Commander Turner supported him being tied up.
That shut him down completely, rendering him useless as an intelligence source.
I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I don't understand how racial bias comes into play here.
Commander Turner made statements which suggested he had little respect for Koreans.
I believe this attitude motivated his treatment of the North Korean skipper.
Lieutenant, it says here in your file that when you were a child, a black man robbed and shot your father in his convenience store.
Yes.
Did that affect your opinion of Commander Turner? Commander Turner didn't shoot my father, Lieutenant.
No, but I spoke with your father yesterday about the man who did shoot him.
And he referred to his assailant as a "nigger.
" Have you ever used that word, Lieutenant? No.
How do you feel about your father using that word? I do not approve, Lieutenant.
But you understand why he speaks that way.
Yes.
Did what happen make you angry, Lieutenant? At times.
As angry as your father? Lieutenant, you have had six months to think about your accusations.
Can you honestly tell me that you haven't at least once during that time, questioned your motives? Sturgis, we need to establish a continuing pattern of anti-Islamic remarks.
That would be good.
Maybe we should call witnesses from the church in Alexandria.
We need some kind of physical evidence to back them up.
Anybody can claim someone else made prejudiced remarks.
I don't know how much weight that should really carry.
I understand Lieutenant Yi is topside.
I'm sure it's going to be all right.
Racial issues are so subjective.
How do you know for sure I'm not anti-Korean? How do I know? Well, for one thing, you don't have a continuing pattern of anti-Korean remarks.
What is on your computer? These are the slides the general couldn't show in Alexandria because the projector broke down.
I'm not sure where this is, maybe Baghdad.
Maybe he showed these at one of the other churches he spoke at recently.
Anything we can use? Depends on the commentary he gave when he ran the slides.
These are the same slides General Watson showed at my church in Baltimore five months ago.
For the record, Reverend Haynes, what does this slide show? Our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this next slide shows? The Devil.
And how about this one? It's a map of the world with the Muslim countries in red.
Why did General Watson put this slide right after the Devil? calls for an opinion.
I'll allow it for now.
Overruled.
He was making a point that in these Muslim countries, the Devil is fighting for power.
When he made this point, was the general wearing a Marine Corps uniform? Yes, he was.
Did the general explain the significance of this slide? It's a photograph that the general took of Baghdad on fire.
And why did he say he included this one? Um When I invited the general to speak at my church, I wasn't aware what his views were.
What did he say? That if you look closely enough in the smoke, you can see the Devil.
Exactly where would that be, Reverend Haynes? I really don't know, Commander.
Do you have a moment, sir? Come on in, Lieutenant.
Heard you had a good day in court.
Sometimes you get lucky.
I have some information, sir.
I've just been informed that Lieutenant Yi has decided to drop all charges against you.
What, uh, did you say to him, Lieutenant? Oh, nothing special.
Actually, I got him to think a little bit more about what he was saying, sir.
Also, I threatened to punch his lights out.
I appreciate that, Lieutenant.
Sir, there is no way I was gonna let you down this time.
I believe that God is with us every day.
He gives us signs, and the reason we pray is so that we can see these signs and understand God's will for us.
And one of these signs appeared to you in the smoke over Baghdad? Commander, I believe that in the middle of that fierce battle, when my life and the lives of thousands of others were in danger, God allowed me to see the face of the Devil.
But you think I'm a nut, don't you? No, no, I don't, sir.
I have no doubt that in war some people have very intense spiritual experiences.
Unfortunately, we live in a profoundly antireligious culture.
Have you been watching the news, Commander? No, sir.
I have.
It's a mistake, General.
They're going out of their way to make my religious beliefs look foolish.
Sir, tomorrow in your testimony, you're gonna need to play down some of your more controversial views.
I refuse to lie about what I believe in.
General, like it or not, we need to counteract the bad press you've been getting.
Commander, I hate to take personal credit for deeds I've done in the name of Jesus, but perhaps there is one potential witness that might be of some help.
My husband Ayman was in a unit commanded by General Jabra and General Watson.
What happened to your husband, Mrs.
Sattar? He was killed in a fedayeen ambush.
How did you meet General Watson, ma'? He came to our house to show his respects.
Then he found out I have breast cancer, and the Iraqi hospital could not help me.
What did the general do? He said that the United States owed my family because my husband fought so bravely.
So he brought me to this country.
I live in an apartment owned by his church.
The church pays for my treatments.
Why did he do that, Mrs.
Sattar? Because he is a good man.
Has General Watson ever tried to convert you to Christianity? General Watson and his fellow church members drive me to a mosque every Friday night for services.
Thank you, Mrs.
Sattar, and I hope you recover fully, ma'am.
Thank you.
The government has no questions for this witness, Your Honor.
I can't change what I believe, and what I believe is that we are engaged in far more than a physical battle.
We are fighting for the good of mankind.
Have your beliefs ever interfered in the performance of your duties, sir? On the contrary, Commander.
My beliefs have given me the courage to go out on the front line and risk my life.
Have you ever mistreated personnel under your command who didn't share your beliefs, sir? I try to treat people of every religion as if they were my brother and sister.
Is that why you brought Mrs.
Sattar to this country for medical treatment, sir? Yes.
Have you had problems with Muslims under your command in the past, sir? I've commanded Muslims and Jews and even a Buddhists.
The only problem I had was when the Buddhist kept beating everybody in poker.
Why did you talk about your religious beliefs in public, sir? I talked about my religion in churches.
It's enough we can't pray in our schools now.
I hope we haven't gotten to the point where a Christian man can't express Christian views while speaking inside a Christian church.
Thank you, General.
Your witness.
General Watson, when you speak in churches, are you, uh, acting as a private citizen or as a spokesman for the United State military? As a private citizen.
Well, then why wear your military uniform, sir? Doesn't that give people a false impression? Colonel, I always make it clear that I'm giving personal witness.
Wouldn't it have been much more clear if you had chosen to wear civilian dress? The congregations understood that my opinions were my own.
Sir, did you ever clear your speeches with the chain of command or Public Affairs, as required by regulations? These were church sermons, not public speeches.
Well, they became very public, didn't they, General? That wasn't my choice, Colonel.
You spoke in front of a ZNN camera crew at an interfaith service.
The service took place in a Marine chapel.
I assumed it was a regular church service.
As far as speaking in front of a TV crew, that was a mistake especially since some of my statements were mischaracterized by the media.
Well, let's talk about your statements, sir.
Did you say, as Reverend Haynes testified, that in all these Muslim countries, the Devil is fighting for power? I believe the Devil is fighting for power all over the world.
Well, then why single out the Muslim countries? I wasn't criticizing Islam per Se, but we'd be foolish not to recognize that the terrorists we're fighting are Muslims.
So what exactly are you saying about Muslims, sir? Objection.
The General's personal beliefs are not on trial here.
No, but his public statements expressing them are.
Overruled.
Please answer, sir.
I believe the vast majority of Muslims are good people.
But I also believe that Islam throughout history has frequently motivated some of its practitioners to declare jihad, and that is what is happening now.
What does "jihad" me, sir? Holy war.
Mm.
General, are you aware that "jihad" actually means to struggle or strive for something, such as the welfare of one's fellow human beings, and is often used in a totally peaceful context.
That's not how I've heard it used, Colonel.
Sir, are you aware that Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, only considers warfare justified if it's in self-defense, or to liberate people who are suffering from persecution and tyranny? I'm not aware of that, no.
Are you aware that Islam, again, like Christianity and Judaism, has rules about war that prohibit killing children, women, the elderly, and other noncombatants.
That's not the way our enemy's acting, Colonel.
Sir, are you aware that Islam specifically prohibits suicide, including suicide bombings? Then why are they doing it? Because they are not following Islam any more than Timothy McVeigh was following Christianity.
Objection.
Counsel is testifying now, Your Honor.
Withdrawn.
General, don't you think that you should know a little more about Islam before you start discussing it in public? Your Honor, while the general may not be an expert on comparative religions, that has little to do with this court-martial.
Your Honor, General Watson has spread false, hateful stereotypes against another religion, and in so doing, has hurt our image abroad, contributing and possibly increased risk to the members of the U.
S.
military.
Save it for closing arguments.
Do you have any more questions for this witness? Just one, Your Honor.
General Watson, based on your experiences as a military officer, do you believe that your statements on Islam aided the war on terrorism or damaged it? Colonel, I have devoted my life to the service of this country, and I believe I still have much to give.
You want to take me to task for being intolerant of Islam.
Well, I ask you to be tolerant of my beliefs.
All I ever did was speak honestly, from my heart.
For that, I do not think I should be relieved of my duties in the Marine Corps.
Defendant and counsel will rise.
Will the senior member please announce the findings.
Major General Earl Watson, United States Marine Corps, On the charges and specifications of dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer, this court-martial finds you Not guilty.
General Watson, while this court has found you not guilty, I intend to recommend to the convening authority that you be formally counseled, and ordered not to assert your beliefs in public forums.
Despite your impassioned statement, the right of free speech in the military must be balanced with the primary mission of defending our country.
There is no place for inflammatory remarks about religion in today's Marine Corps.
This court is hereby adjourned.
No hard feelings, Colonel.
We're all serving our country in different ways.
Thisas the scene today near Fallouja, where at least 18 Marines have been killed in a suicide bombing.
A previously unknown group called The Fire of Allah claimed responsibility for what they called a "glorious victory in this Holy war.
" The message was delivered in an audiotape which was left anonymously at the Al Jazeera headquarters in Cairo.
If you'll excuse me.
Deadliest single attack on American troops since the war in Iraq began e year ago.
Well, this is why we need men like General Watson.
Or not.