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BT,

Let's not make wild assumptions as to how a polygraph is killing our soldiers overseas.  There is no reason to stoop to the level of those who interperet polygraph readings by making SWAGs of your own.

And the details behind this attack are still emerging.  If you really want to know how touchy this subject is, just ask me.  The soldier who was killed, CPT Chris Siefert, from the 101 ABN, was my bunkmate for 8 weeks at Ft Bragg, NC, for ROTC Advanced Camp, summer 1996.  If you are going to tell me that my friend died because of a polygraph, you better come with a shitload more proof that your conjecture, OK?

Let's get serious here.

Chris

Thank you Chris for injecting some sense into the rantings of BT.  As it turns out...he is WAY off base (imagine that!).  It was a GI (not even a translator,but an engineer) who is now under arrest and suspcion of murder of Capt Siefert and aggravted assaulkt/attempted murder of the others.  I cannot believe that BT would jumpt to this conclusion...but then again, he is BT and he has shown his wayward thinking before.  Time to tuck your tail between your legs BT, apologize and admit that you were WRONG

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BT,

First, I'd like to thank you for your heartfelt condolances on the loss of my friend.  Oh, wait, you were too busy trying to defend your ill-advised comments with links to atricles that don't relate to you argument to give a shit about my loss.

As far as your comments on translators go, you ought to ask someone who knows about these things rather than beileve all that you read in internet articles.  I am someone who knows a little about these things, and I'll tell you how it works.

First off, the 103rd MI BN, the Intelligence unit for the 3 ID, has a full complement of American translators, all specializing in Arabic, and all with Top Secret clearances.  The 3 ID has been Arabic since I worked with them in 2000.  My old unit, the 3 ACR, who has its equipment is floating in the Gulf and its soldiers are sitting on their asses waiting to fly over, was ordered to switch from Russian linguists to Arabic linguists in 2001.  We began receiving Arabic linguists in the Summer of 2001 and by now, I'm sure the conversion is complete.  Again, all of these linguists are US with TS clearances.  And all of the 3 ACR linguists are sitting on their asses at Ft Carson becasue their TRQ-32 and TLQ-17 are floating on a ship in the gulf . . . 

Now I could go on about other units in the Army, some who haven't even been pegged for the Iraq war, who are arabic linguists with TS clearances.  But the Pentagon is very apprehensive to piecemeal other units to support one effort (then we couldn't fight in more than one place).  But I guarantee you that if the war effort in Iraq were going to fail because of a lack of linguists, then you better believe that those soldiers would be ont he first transport to the gulf.

Now there are contracted linguists (class I and class II) who augment the forces.  They usually go to the units that have less of a need for translation (trigger-pullers).  And maybe there is a lack of class I/class II translators because of security concerns, and maybe even from the polygraph.  But answer me this, which is a greater threat to national security:

You have 5 days to hire 20 translators out of a group of 100.  What criteria will you use? Applications and National Agency Checks, or Applications, NACs, and polygraphs?   

If you are pressed for time, and need to hire, I would take polygraph results over a one day background check any day of the week.

This doesn't mean I like the polygraph, because I don't.  But in the absence of all other possibilities to clear an individual for immediate hire in a sensitive position that is an immediate fill, I'd go with polygraph results.

Please don't try to gloss over your gross conjecture, either.   It is very clear that you relate the polygraph to the death of our soldiers (specifically MY friend).  Not only is your thinking bogus, but your conclusion that the grenades were thrown by Kuwaiti translators sympathetic to Iraq is incorrect.

BT, you are giving the anti-poly movement a bad name.  If you step back and look at this argument, it is painfully obvious that you are relating 2 unrelated subjects for pure shock value.  You might as well suggest that we start writing this theory of yours in bathroom stalls.   

Please stop your madness.

Chris

Chris,

Just as you demand I do not use the high emotion surrounding the death of Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert (and in retrospect rightfully so) I would ask the same of you.

If you will look back to my first response to you, you will also please note I in fact retracted and apologized for this initial assertion of mine. Therefore, your following scathing comments 

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While certainly bitter and acrimonious are also incorrect if you are attributing them to me. Yes, *initially* I saw a connection between the danger of Kuwaiti nationals being inserted into a key, sensitive arena where poor vetting back home placed Americans in further harms way and the potential culpability polygraphers played in such a scenario. If 

"My accusation as to the culpability of polygraphers with regard to this particularly heinous act was in error, and for that I apologize."

Isn't good enough for you, then so be it.

Dave

Regarding CPT Chris Seifert, see "In just hours, a friend and new dad was dead" by Scott Calvert of the Baltimore Sun and "Local man victim of grenade attack" by Jimmy P. Miller of the Easton, PA Express Times

Torpedo,

You might remember that the fighting men and women of this country of this and other ages engage in combat that we (both you and I) might enjoy freedom and have full access to the truth.  Whether you agree or disagree with what is said here (antipolygraph.org) , you have the ability to post anything that comes to mind and anything your heart desires.  The censored pro-polygraph sites are nothing more than you would expect to find in the former Soviet Union or the dictatorship we now oppose.  Clearly no one is now fighting to protect such drivel and one-sided propaganda.

BT,

I'm sorry if I was overly scathing in my reply, but I think your post was posted while I was writing my reply to your previous.  I did not see your new post, as my scathing reply references, with a quote, your earlier post.  I do accept the recant of your conjecture.

Torpedo, Fair Chance, The_Breeze, and George,

Thany you for your kind words.  It is a very unfortunate experience.  I hope this is the last of such experiences for this war, but I doubt that this will be the issue.

And I would prefer that we leave this tragic death and the polygraph as the separate issues that they are.

Chris