Roughly one month ago, as the disaster in Afghanistan was unfolding and after the Biden administration failed to take any responsibility for the botched withdrawal, there were a handful of voices calling for accountability within the military. One of those voices was Marine Lt. Col Stuart “Stu” Scheller. In a video released to his social media accounts, Scheller called on top military brass to own up to their failures and admit they oversaw a botched operation in Afghanistan that left 13 troops dead and thousands of Americans needlessly stranded.
Scheller makes points asking why the Biden administration chose to abandon Bagram Air Base, a strategic location that was well-fortified and would have let the U.S. military stage operations and maintain a safe exit point for citizens in the country needing an exit.
Here is Scheller’s original video, which was released the day that 13 service members were killed in a terrorist attack outside Kabul airport, dated August 26 via his Facebook account:
Scheller admits he would likely face consequences for speaking out of turn, but says someone has to be willing to speak truth to power against an administration and a Defense Department intent on circling the wagon and ducking all accountability.
In years past, the Democratic Party used support speaking truth to power, especially when it meant speaking truth to those at the top of the military-industrial complex. Not today as Democrats are in charge of the White House and by extension, the Department of Defense, so valid criticism from Lt. Col Scheller is not allowed.
That was back in August. Fast-forward to today and reports now indicate that Lt. Col Scheller has been placed in a military brig with charges pending, though no charges have yet been brought:
Lt. Col Stuart Scheller, who recently garnered considerable attention for social media posts and videos demanding “accountability” is now in military jail, the Marine Corps announced.
He is in pretrial confinement at the Regional Brig for Marine Corps Installations East at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, pending an Article 32 preliminary hearing, Capt. Sam Stephenson, a spokesman for Training and Education Command, said in a Tuesday statement to Marine Corps Times. The time, date and location for that hearing have yet to be determined.
However, although confined, Scheller currently faces no charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Stephenson said. However, multiple UCMJ charges are being considered.
It’s noteworthy that Scheller hasn’t been charged with anything, he’s merely being used to intimate others who may wish to speak out against top military brass.
Scheller’s parents have spoken out in his defense pointing out that all he has done is ask questions and demand accountability from his chain of command. As Scheller pointed out in his video, had anyone at his level, as a 17-year Marine officer, had any kind of infraction whatsoever, they would have been reprimanded immediately. Instead, Biden administration officials walk around as if the Afghanistan situation was some kind of success.
Scheller’s family issued a statement on Monday in which they called on the military to support their son.
Cathy and Stuart Scheller Sr. stated that Stuart Scheller’s command “seems to be concerned” but the command “does not appear to have the tools to support him” and “incarceration appears to be their only solution.”
“All our son did was ask the questions that everyone was asking themselves, but too scared to speak out loud,” Scheller’s parents wrote. “He doesn’t deserve this treatment.”
Given the testimony on Tuesday from top generals indicating that President Biden ignored advice to keep some cadre of troops on the ground in Afghanistan, it would seem that Scheller’s criticism is more valid than ever. Mistakes were made, and people died because of those mistakes, and yet Scheller is the one who winds up in prison while people like Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin walk around like military heroes.
The Pipe Hitter Foundation, an organization that helps veterans in various ways, is backing Scheller and offering support to his family, and accepting donations for his defense:
The lessons from Scheller’s ordeal are chilling. Rather than be taken seriously, since it’s abundantly obvious mistakes were made in Afghanistan and those mistakes go all the way to the top, Scheller is being relegated and treated like a common criminal despite his stellar 17-year Marine record.
A truly shameful display from the Biden administration and top Pentagon officials who have not taken an ounce of accountability for dead soldiers in Afghanistan.
