Since I mentioned in September the arrest of Capt. James Yee, a former military chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, I feel it’s only fair that I also mention that Yee has been released.
As you may recall, in September, Yee was arrested and, according to a Washington Post report, charged with a number of crimes under the military’s criminal code relating to espionage. In particular, there were multiple reports about a military investigation into why Yee, a Muslim chaplain, “possessed classified documents” about suspected terrorists held at the base and their interrogators.
That was nearly three months ago. Since then, according to an LA Times report, Yee has been in a naval brig, “held in harsh conditions, barred from practicing his Islamic faith and deprived of his legal right to a speedy trial.”
Tuesday, the military announced that it was releasing Yee from custody and will be allowed to resume his duties at Fort Benning, Ga.
So the worst for Yee is behind him, right? Afraid not.
Yee may not be guilty of terrorist-sympathizing espionage, but he may have been doing other “inappropriate” things. During its investigation, the military apparently uncovered evidence that Yee violated his code of conduct by having an affair and storing pornography on his government-issued computer.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the government needs to do a thorough review of the entire military chaplaincy program. If we’re lucky, it will take James Madison’s advice and end the program all together.