Congressman Steve LaTourette is asking Defense Secretary Robert Gates to intervene on behalf of Lt. Erick Anderson. According to LaTourette, the Army twice falsely accused Anderson of murdering Iraqi civilians. The charges were dropped and Anderson went on inactive reserve duty. But now he's being redeployed. LaTourette says, given Anderson's history with the military, he's in no position to go back to Iraq.
LaTOURETTE: When you put someone back in with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and over his head, he knows that in a combat decision, he made a decision and was twice falsely accused of murder, you know, sometimes that split second to fire or not fire, I think he has the potential to have his life in danger or those he commands as first lieutenant. We're not supposed to be deploying our soldiers to be lawyers.
LaTourette is asking Secretary Gates to rescind the reporting orders. But, the congressman says he's not optimistic that will happen and plans to draft legislation to try and get Anderson relieved of his duty.