WHEREAS, In September 2011, Team Commander and West Point graduate CPT Daniel Quinn was serving in Afghanistan’s war-torn Kunduz province as a member of a U.S. Army Special Forces A-Team that was tasked with establishing a new local police force to fight terrorism with the support of local villagers; and
WHEREAS, CPT Quinn and members of his team were approached by a local mother and her 12-year old son. She told them that an Afghan police commander, Abdual Rahman, who was trained and supported by their team, kidnapped the boy and kept him tied to a post in his house, where he was brutally raped by Rahman for up to two weeks; and
WHEREAS, When the boy’s mother desperately sought the release of her son, she was beaten by Rahman for complaining to the authorities; and
WHEREAS, When questioned by CPT Quinn, Abdual Rahman laughed and said it was not important. CPT Quinn picked up Abdual Rahman and threw him to the ground to communicate “that if he went back to the boy, that it was not going to be tolerated”. SFC Charles Martland assisted CPT Quinn; and
WHEREAS, The following day, CPT Quinn was relieved of his command. He and SFC Martland were removed from the operation. CPT Quinn has since left the military and SFC Martland is facing involuntary discharge; and
WHEREAS, As CPT Quinn stated in an interview with the New York Times, “The reason we were here is because we heard the terrible things the Taliban were doing to people, how they were taking away human rights. But we were putting people into power who would do things that were worse than the Taliban did—that was something village elders voiced to me”; and
WHEREAS, CPT Quinn’s action to advance his mission by retaining the support of the villagers and also to defend human rights is in keeping with the motto of Special Forces, “De Opresso Liber (Free the Oppressed)”; and
WHEREAS, A U.N. Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict called such child abuse “a form of sexual slavery”; and
WHEREAS, The United States holds as its highest ideals freedom, democracy and self-determination. As the birthplace of this nation, Philadelphia steps forward to provide moral input. Our democracy depends on courageous citizen soldiers and they pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, whose preamble declares provision of the common defense, promotion of general welfare and the securing of the blessings of liberty; and
WHEREAS, CPT Quinn’s actions reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army and the United States of America; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and honor Daniel Quinn, former Captain, U.S. Army, for exemplifying the highest degrees of morality and justice in the face of human rights violations while serving in Afghanistan.
RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to CPT Daniel Quinn, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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