Posted on 09/18/2007 8:12:33 PM PDT by SevenMinusOne
FORT BRAGG, N.C., Sept. 17 — From his position about 100 yards away, Master Sgt. Troy Anderson had a clear shot at the Afghan man standing outside a residential compound in a village near the Pakistan border last October. When Capt. Dave Staffel, the Special Forces officer in charge, gave the order to shoot, Sergeant Anderson fired a bullet into the man’s head, killing him.
In June, Captain Staffel and Sergeant Anderson were charged with premeditated murder. On Tuesday, in a rare public examination of the rules that govern the actions of Special Operations troops in Afghanistan, a military hearing will convene at Fort Bragg to weigh the evidence against the two men, both Green Berets.
The case revolves around differing interpretations of the kind of force that the Special Forces team that hunted and killed the man, Nawab Buntangyar, were allowed to use once they found him, apparently unarmed.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
These men will walk (as they should) but not before being dragged through a little hell...and the MSM can put out more negative BS spin...
Not this shiite again....Doesn’t the leadership have any idea how divisive, demoralizing and counterproductive their PC witch hunts are becoming??
see MilitaryCorruption.Com for the latest on these stupid cases.
If you follow this case, Dev, keep us posted, would you please?
Damn the pansy asses who prosecute these men!!
Uh boy...
It’s B57/Nha Trang in 1969 all over again. I guess the Left wants to follow the Vietnam playbook to the letter.
WTF?
Just what our troops need, *eyeroll*. More 'help' from the MSM, creating more havoc and seeming to delight in it. Disregarding the real harm they cause.
The people put on trial should be the twits who are trying to prosecute our heroes for doing their freaking job. We can’t fight a war if our soldiers are constantly afraid of being accused of murder. It only means that more of our young men are going to get killed and and our objectives in battle will be slowed. Thanks liberals for screwing up our country and making us more unsafe.
After hearing exGen Wesley Clark in MSNBC today, the answer is some do and are working actively toward their political success and the military downfall.
If this is how we are going to fight wars we should pull out of Ashcanistan and Iraq RIGHT NOW. If all we are going to do is conduct a non-stop series of trials, hearings and prosecutrions then lets just stop, pull back and get busy surrendering.
This is beyond ridiculous. I am just sick of it.
But I’m sure El Presidente Jorge Bush will jump in to help these guys.... </sarc>
This is insane.
Political correctness has been used against us for so long that it has become too readily acceptable.
Yep. Pretty weak leadership-—hiding behind the ol desk—like good generals do. Pansy bottom.
I had a CO once that directed me to violate orders to enhance morale. Did my homework—determined the existing instruction was canx without a current replacement. I did as requested, nearly got tagged for it by a very curious JAG investigation. Visions of the ol Kansas fort vacation. Once the Navy (3star) promised the AF it would never happen again, this CO asked me if I would do it again. Told the ol Skipper I was not his man. About face and out the door.
Admired the guy—thumbed his nose at the biggies, marched to his own drum, had a get er done attitude. I imagine he probably got drummed out once his tour was over.
Not many real leaders in the military. Best CO I had was an alcoholic that could tie it on all night and be in complete control at 7am. Troops loved em because he had that get er done and we aint cheating the system with any pencilwhippin maneuvers.
Generally, not much real leadership. Now, in this pc police climate, probably even fewer willing to risk a career.
“Visions of the ol Kansas fort vacation.”
Yikes! That would leave a mark on the memory. I’m sure I would like that CO too, but a little more ‘upfront leadership’ might be in order. Your second CO sounds amazing-definitely a man I would want in charge.
I can’t imagine being in a combat zone under the current ROE. I have the greatest admiration for the enlisted, NCO’s and field officers who put up with what they have to put up with.
They're still there - But so are the pansy-as$ PC political career types too (obviously).
Why don't you knock that BS off - It serves no purpose (only helps are enemies, both foreign and domestic). It isn't the POTUS/CinC job at this point to step in. Not at all.
Furthemore the vast majority currently serving (outside of REMF types) respect and love the hell out of the man.
The KNOWN and IDENTIFIED “ILLEGAL COMBATANT” had been designated as a target and placed on the whack list....
Illegal Combatants have no special entitlement to achieve prisoner status...
The targets are placed on the whack list to be killed if possible.
There was no order to take the target captive...
The target was properly I.D’d as the man on the whack list...
The shooter was authorized to shoot..
The targeted individual was killed..
The shooting was reported and found to be an authorized and justified shoot.
I have no idea of why the fact the target was unarmed, and in a nonthreatening conversation with the “finger man” was even mentioned..
Shooters are NOT required to notify their designated target they are about to be shot - and should either arm themselves or take evasive action...
WTF is this Lt.General up to?
This second guessing shit will be the ruin of our military if it continues. I can picture Nostril Waxman preparing hearings, geez
Yep, the ONLY man that can do, won't.
Frank H. Kearney
General Kearney proceeded with murder charges against the two soldiers even after an investigation by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command concluded in April that the shooting had been “justifiable homicide.”
What is this guy's motivation?
To get his sorry P.C. ass promoted, pure and simple. Visibility.
Beneath contempt.
General, I hope you're reading this. I'd love to challenge you to your face, damn you.
The guys on the ground have a rather extensive checklist to complete before authorization to conduct this type of action is released.
I wonder what we're not being told.
Can it, DevSix.
These constant prosecutions and investigations wear on the morale of military people (been there, done that). Bush is the one guy who can review our ROE and end this ridiculous PC second guessing.
Under our ROEs these guys WILL be cleared - If you think the POTUS/CinC can micromanage the Mil justice system you are an F'ing fool -
As I said knock of the foolish and childish BS. It serves no purpose.
OReilly is talking about this right now
Hope Bill follows through with following the procedings.
He will. I haven’t been a fan since he ignored the Swiftvets during the last election...but for the most part when he picks a cause like this one he goes after it full force.
I thought we sent these guys over there to kill people.
MAC~SOG LIVES...
My grandfather served as an advisor to the South Korean Army during the period between World War Two and the Korean War. During that time, he and the other American advisors under his command were engaged in a number of major combat operations and dozens of smaller skirmishes. He lost at least one officer killed, had two captured (but they managed to escape the next day), and had a number of others wounded (himself included).
But the paperpushers, or waffle-bottoms as he called them, back at headquarters refused to approve any of his endorsements for medals for these troops, including the Purple Hearts that many of them had earned the hard way. They informed him that no American troops were involved in combat operations in the Pacific Theater since the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945.
Wait a minute. Premeditated murder? Soldiers and Marines have been charged with murder for violating the ROE and killing civilians. Most have been acquitted based on a 'heat of battle' argument, or just a lack of evidence.
In this case, 'premeditated' means they planned to kill him at a time and place of their choosing--which is legal. However, they violated ROE and comitted 'murder' because he was unarmed?
While they could premeditate his killing legally, how could they know beforehand that he wouldn't be armed so they could violate the ROE and 'murder' him?
On the battlefield, with the ROE in place, if it is premeditated, it's not 'murder'. If it is 'murder', it is not 'premeditated'.
How are they going to prove that not only did they plan to kill him legally, but illegally planned to catch him specifically unarmed so that they could 'murder' him outside of the ROE?
Well stated. Unfortunate for the pain they and their families are going through during the interim after which they’ll hopefully be cleared.
Give it a rest DevSix. You’re in no position to preach to others about “BS”.
And thanks for the profanity and the personal insult... very professional of you.
Bullseye.
Why don’t they charge some WWII vets with killing nazi’s while they’re at it?
Saw this on O’reilly. Some jackass with a crooked bowtie really pissed me off.
Most officers (Legs) detest the SF. And the majority that do go Airborne and then put in a stint in SF due so only to polish their resume and get out asap. At least this was how it was in the 'olden days'.
Then again, Rummy sure took a lot of crap and internal sabotage from the 'Leg' apple polishers when he started to emphasize the SF and Special Ops in general so maybe that attitude is still prevalent.
“If this is how we are going to fight wars we should pull out of Ashcanistan and Iraq RIGHT NOW.”
I agree. If they are found guilty of murder, we should immdediately pull our troops out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, Korea, and wherever our troops are stationed around the world. This is total bs.
Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Csrnko has dismissed all charges against two Fort Bragg Special Forces who killed an “enemy combatant” who was “under the control of friendly forces” in Afghanistan.
Capt. Dave Staffel and Master Sgt. Troy Anderson were accused of premeditated murder in the shooting of Nawab Buntangyar on Oct. 13, 2006, at the village of Ster Kalay near the Pakistan border.
Witnesses at an Article 32 hearing — held to determine whether the soldiers should be court-martialed — testified that Nawab was identified as an enemy who was involved with suicide bombers and posed a threat. The man was within “blast range” of the soldiers. Several witnesses testified that they had little confidence in the competence of the Afghans working with the Special Forces soldiers who were supposed to have control over the man.
Good.
I don't know why but I have a gut feeling this guy is with the Wesley Clark crowd in the Military. Even the Mama's are complaining about this General. I can honestly say this is the first time I have ever heard Mothers bring up names before in yahoo groups.
YES! I hope someone who knows these Soldiers passes this thread along to let them know that there arre folks praying and thinking about them.
I agree with that.
Very good news and thanks for the ping, Red.
Hopefully there will be some kind of backlash for Lt. Gen. Kearney, what he did here was way over the top and despicable. He should have never put these men through this!
Yes, I see where this simple scumbag Kearney just got promoted. So you know who the bigger scumbag is in this whole fiasco? The assclown's boss. The Commander-in-Chief. Bush.
Thanks for that update, Red. That’s a relief.
What is not a relief is that this simple scumbag Kearney is still running loose.
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