As you may have heard, three Navy SEALs are facing a court martial for their alleged mistreatment of a top terrorist who they helped capture in Iraq this past September. The terrorist, Ahmed Hashim Abed, is suspected of masterminding the brutal murders of four American contractors in Iraq in 2004. He was one of the most wanted jihadists in the country and his capture was a good thing for Iraq’s safety and security.

The precise nature of what occurred has not been made public, but I am very concerned about the treatment of these servicemembers. I believe that the three SEALs should be presumed innocent of wrongdoing and fully vindicated unless clear evidence is presented that they violated military rules in their treatment of him. Further, I’m concerned that this case could set a precedent that would undermine our efforts to prosecute the War on Terror. If we adopt a policy that causes our servicemembers to fear that they will face severe punishments anytime a terrorist suspect alleges misconduct, I believe it will discourage our military personnel from aggressively engaging our enemies and sufficiently protecting themselves against potential attacks. While the men and women of our military must uphold our nation’s high standards for the decent and humane treatment of individuals in U.S. custody, we should not force them to fight the war against radical jihadists with self-defeating caution and the fear of being penalized for simply doing their jobs.