Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller has been taken to the brig after a series of videos and harsh comments condemning the US military's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"All our son did is ask the questions that everybody was asking themselves, but they were too scared to speak out loud," Scheller's father, Stu Scheller Sr., told Task & Purpose. "He was asking for accountability. In fact, I think he even asked for an apology that we made mistakes, but they couldn’t do that, which is mind-blowing."
The videos posted by his son have been criticising the US high command for the departure from Afghanistan and the decisions that led to the events that happened during the chaotic departure from Kabul.
Scheller Jr. was reportedly instructed by his command to stop publishing such content, but he not only refused to do so, but immediately exposed in social media the “advice” he was given. The officer was expecting unpleasant consequences as he believed he had been “speaking truth” that “no one wanted to hear”.
“Col Emmel please have the MPs waiting for me at 08:00 on Monday. I’m ready for jail," he wrote in one of his latest posts.
Now the officer, who has served for 17 years, is currently “in pre-trial confinement” and is expected to face legal proceedings.
On 26 August, soon after Taliban seized control over Afghanistan, a series of explosions occurred near the Kabul airport, with Daesh* claiming credit for the attacks. At least 200 people died, including Afghan civilians, British military and 13 American servicemen.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) and Taliban are terrorist organisations outlawed in Russia and many other countries.