West Point Prof Who Called Legal Scholars Treasonous Resigns

A West Point professor criticized for writing an article calling some legal scholars treasonous and "lawful targets" for the U.S. military in its war on terrorism has resigned a month after he was hired to teach a law course.

A spokesman at the U.S. Military Academy said William C. Bradford resigned Sunday. He said no further details would be released because of privacy and legal constraints.

In an article published this spring in the National Security Law Journal, Bradford said legal scholars who criticize U.S. tactics in the war on terror are helping the Islamic State group undermine America. He argued that these academics should be considered enemy combatants and charged with treason and supporting terrorism.

The publication apologized in an editorial last week in response to a barrage of criticism from readers. Editor-in-chief Rick Myers repudiated the article and said the publication is reviewing its selection process "to ensure that we publish high quality scholarly articles."

Bradford's 95-page article argues that liberals dominate legal academia and use their position to undermine public support of U.S. military efforts to fight the Islamic State group. He advocates a number of measures to counter "Islamist sympathizers and propagandists" in academia, including firing them, requiring loyalty oaths and charging them with treason.

"The views in the article are solely those of Dr. Bradford and do not reflect those of the Department of Defense, the United States Army, or the United States Military Academy," Lt. Col. Chris Kasker, a West Point spokesman, said Tuesday in a prepared statement.

Bradford was hired by the academy Aug. 1 and taught five lessons in a common core law course before he resigned, Kasker said.

Bradford told The Washington Post on Tuesday that statements in his article were "taken out of context" by people who hadn't read the entire piece.

The resignation was first reported by the Guardian.