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tinman, I don't mean to come off as a jerk, but I honestly can't understanding doing harm or worse to anyone, for any reason. None of it makes any sense to me in any way. It never will. I do break it down to minutia because none of it makes sense. Violence never benefits anyone.
Chielgirl I don't question your motives, or your sense of fair play. I wish that we could live in a world where a military was a long forgotten need. Radicals need no provocation to harm others. They view acts of kindness as a weakness to exploit. They don't view life as something of any value. Not even their own. Those soldiers committed an act of murder. No two ways about it. They no doubt in better times wouldn't have done such a thing. They are in an enviroment that fosters such acts. By this I mean the middle east. The UCMJ is our code of conduct, our law when we serve. They forgot or ignored what is required of a US Soldier, sailor, marine or Airman. We need to be a role model for others to follow.
You are a noble person and I can see your point of view. I just dont always agree with you. But this is America and you have the right to your views, and I mine. Thats what makes the USA so awsome.
This type of thing happened often during WW2 & as far as i know no u.s. service men were prosecuted. This was a BS prosecution.
All right let's do this one; was a formal declaration of war ever served to the Iraqi's. Rather; were you there at the behest of a de-facto government who requested your presence and therefore expected to act within constraints not mormal during a delclared war?
Falling asleep while it is assumed they were behind enemy lines; then waking to find one squatting and observing them which of course would indicate he intended no harm lest they'd all be dead already.
The resultant actions by the sarge sorta serves notice to the rest of Iragi civilians; 'you stumble upon some sleeping coalition forces, especially the murderous kind from the U.S., just pitch a grenade in there and be done with it!'
Never a good time to exercise judgement for the fight or flight response; when you've just been awakened behind enemy lines.
This type of thing happened often during WW2 & as far as i know no u.s. service men were prosecuted. This was a BS prosecution.
It may or may not be, I didn't sit through the evidence, but what took place in WWII or any other conflict is irrelevant to the prosecution of justice.
The thing is, this exact thing happened in Afgh. too, but the sniper DID NOT kill the goat herder that stumbled up on him. You know what happened? The herder told the Taliban and the sniper was ambushed and killed. No wonder this soldier killed the guy.
Interestingly enough, even though the term "sniper" immediately invokes certain assumptions as to how the killing went down, he killed the Iraqi at very close range with his pistol, after he (Iraqi) stumbled on the snipers hiding place.
Upon shooting him and seeing the Iraqi convulsing, he fired another shot to "deliver the grace", but missed.
IMO, this is a horrendous prosecution.
When you unleash fighting men to fight, there are indeed protocols.
A sniper, whose very life relies on his concealment and artifice, is a walking dead man the moment his presence is betrayed.
Convicting a sniper who was on an active mission for killing someone who compromised his position is a miscarriage of justice to a very high degree. It's an example of us forgetting that there is no such thing as a "clean war".
I hope this soldier receives a full pardon from an outgoing Bush. His council seemed ungodly ineffective (basing their entire case on some "sleep deprivation" play) instead of simply pointing out that such a killing is entirely within the nature of a snipers expected duties and that the prosecution was purely political.
10-4 As one once said "war is hell"...if you don't believe it...try it sometime!
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