British Officer Praised for His Code Is Accused of Violating It
Wed May 21, 3:01 PM ET Add Top Stories - The New York Times to My Yahoo!
By WARREN HOGE The New York Times
LONDON, May 21 The British Army officer whose rousing prebattle address to his troops in March drew worldwide attention for its emphasis on treating enemy captives with respect is under investigation on accusations of having abused Iraqi soldiers and civilians, the Ministry of Defense said today.
Lt. Col. Tim Collins, 43, reportedly stands accused of punching, kicking and threatening Iraqi prisoners of war to force information from them and for opening fire needlessly to intimidate civilians. A ministry spokesman would confirm only that an investigation was under way.
British newspapers said the charges included gashing the head of an Iraqi civic leader with his pistol, shooting out the tires of vehicles when there was no threat or no weapons visible, firing at the ground near the feet of civilians and bullying townspeople who did not obey orders.
The charges were first published today in The Sun, Britain's largest daily tabloid, which was a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq (news - web sites).
If the charges are true, they will undermine a reputation the British established for showing patience and calm during the chaotic aftermath of the capture of Um Qasr and Basra and the surrounding areas of southern Iraq. That behavior was frequently contrasted in the British press with the conduct of American troops in Baghdad and elsewhere, which was often portrayed as insensitive and brutish.
The Press Association, Britain's domestic news agency, reported, with no attribution, that one of those complaining about Colonel Collins's actions was an American military officer.
Colonel Collins's rallying speech on March 22, on the eve of the British crossing into southern Iraq, attracted notice in particular for the emphasis he put on the need for showing generosity and compassion in conquest.
"If you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory," he told his men, who were gathered around him at their encampment in the Kuwaiti desert. "If someone surrenders to you, remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family."
He went on to remind them of Iraq's ancient history, saying:, "You will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality, even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country."
Charles, the Prince of Wales, described Colonel Collins's address at the time as "extraordinarily stirring, civilized and humane." In a personal letter to him, the heir to the throne wrote, "What you said somehow encapsulated, in a brilliantly inspired way, everything that we have come to expect of our armed forces and demonstrated why, quite simply, they are the best in the world."
Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Colonel Collins commanded the First Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, based in Canterbury, Kent. The regiment helped secure the oil town of Rumaila in the early days of the war and was the first British infantry unit to return home this month.
The Ministry of Defense said Colonel Collins was now on operational leave, awaiting reassignment to a new posting that had been scheduled before the war. Special Investigations Branch teams were reported to have interviewed members of the regiment in Canterbury and to have flown to Iraq to take testimony there, all aimed at seeing whether there had been violations of the Geneva Convention's rules on treatment of prisoners.
Colonel Collins himself made no public comment, but unnamed friends quoted by The Sun said he had denied the accusations.
An athletic-looking man with iron-filing gray, crew-cut hair, he was often pictured smoking a cigar, with a khaki scarf tucked into his desert camouflage uniform and highway patrolman sunglasses covering his eyes.
Known to his troops as "Nails" for his steely manner, he built a distinguished record with the elite special forces and served in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Germany, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.
Colonel Collins's speech concluded on a cautionary note. "If you harm the regiment or its history by overenthusiasm in killing or in cowardice," he said, "know it is your family that will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down through history."
Wed May 21, 3:01 PM ET Add Top Stories - The New York Times to My Yahoo!
By WARREN HOGE The New York Times
LONDON, May 21 The British Army officer whose rousing prebattle address to his troops in March drew worldwide attention for its emphasis on treating enemy captives with respect is under investigation on accusations of having abused Iraqi soldiers and civilians, the Ministry of Defense said today.
Lt. Col. Tim Collins, 43, reportedly stands accused of punching, kicking and threatening Iraqi prisoners of war to force information from them and for opening fire needlessly to intimidate civilians. A ministry spokesman would confirm only that an investigation was under way.
British newspapers said the charges included gashing the head of an Iraqi civic leader with his pistol, shooting out the tires of vehicles when there was no threat or no weapons visible, firing at the ground near the feet of civilians and bullying townspeople who did not obey orders.
The charges were first published today in The Sun, Britain's largest daily tabloid, which was a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq (news - web sites).
If the charges are true, they will undermine a reputation the British established for showing patience and calm during the chaotic aftermath of the capture of Um Qasr and Basra and the surrounding areas of southern Iraq. That behavior was frequently contrasted in the British press with the conduct of American troops in Baghdad and elsewhere, which was often portrayed as insensitive and brutish.
The Press Association, Britain's domestic news agency, reported, with no attribution, that one of those complaining about Colonel Collins's actions was an American military officer.
Colonel Collins's rallying speech on March 22, on the eve of the British crossing into southern Iraq, attracted notice in particular for the emphasis he put on the need for showing generosity and compassion in conquest.
"If you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory," he told his men, who were gathered around him at their encampment in the Kuwaiti desert. "If someone surrenders to you, remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family."
He went on to remind them of Iraq's ancient history, saying:, "You will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality, even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country."
Charles, the Prince of Wales, described Colonel Collins's address at the time as "extraordinarily stirring, civilized and humane." In a personal letter to him, the heir to the throne wrote, "What you said somehow encapsulated, in a brilliantly inspired way, everything that we have come to expect of our armed forces and demonstrated why, quite simply, they are the best in the world."
Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Colonel Collins commanded the First Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, based in Canterbury, Kent. The regiment helped secure the oil town of Rumaila in the early days of the war and was the first British infantry unit to return home this month.
The Ministry of Defense said Colonel Collins was now on operational leave, awaiting reassignment to a new posting that had been scheduled before the war. Special Investigations Branch teams were reported to have interviewed members of the regiment in Canterbury and to have flown to Iraq to take testimony there, all aimed at seeing whether there had been violations of the Geneva Convention's rules on treatment of prisoners.
Colonel Collins himself made no public comment, but unnamed friends quoted by The Sun said he had denied the accusations.
An athletic-looking man with iron-filing gray, crew-cut hair, he was often pictured smoking a cigar, with a khaki scarf tucked into his desert camouflage uniform and highway patrolman sunglasses covering his eyes.
Known to his troops as "Nails" for his steely manner, he built a distinguished record with the elite special forces and served in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Germany, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.
Colonel Collins's speech concluded on a cautionary note. "If you harm the regiment or its history by overenthusiasm in killing or in cowardice," he said, "know it is your family that will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down through history."