GIs who refused Iraq supply mission will not face court-martial News
GIs who refused Iraq supply mission will not face court-martial

[JURIST] US military officials said Sunday that five soldiers who refused to go on a supply mission in Iraq on October 13 will not be court-martialed. The soldiers, and other members of the Army's 343rd Quartermaster Company, were under investigation after refusing to make a supply run in a dangerous section of Iraq. The US general then in charge of the 13th Corps Support Command called the refusal an "isolated incident", but the company commander was subsequently relieved of duty and reassigned at her own request. The soldiers defended their actions by stating their transport vehicles lacked the proper armor needed for the mission. While the soldiers will not be court-martialed, other punishment is being considered. CNN has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.