[xzins]

Moments earlier, the man, according to testimony and court documents, had been fleeing an attack on U.S. soldiers and was holding the sickle to masquerade as a farmer.

You missed the above. He was shot because he was an insurgent.

IF the troops placed wire on him, then he was not shot because he was picking anything up.

They were TRYING to keep from getting legally charged for doing their job....sniping.

If this isn't a fine catch 22 we've got the troops in, I've never heard of a better one.

Do your job legitimately..and you get charged. Do your job legitimately and try to cover yourself...and you get charged.

Answer: don't do your flippin' job.

[Girlene]

From the article, ..."Sandoval's court-martial on premeditated murder charges for this killing is scheduled to begin today in Baghdad.".....

Why are our guys being tried in Baghdad, not the US? Any lawyers/family have to pay through the nose to attend. This puts their cost of additional defense sky-high. Premeditated murder is SERIOUS.

More from the article.....However, some soldiers serving in Iraq said that the program and the subsequent murder charges have caused them to rethink pulling the trigger in the field out of concern that they could be charged with crimes for doing so. Sndoval prepared to shoot and Hensley repeatedly asked him if he had the shot, they had to make a split-second decision that U.S. troops have to make on a daily basis: Kill the man and possibly face scrutiny, or let him go and possibly put U.S. service members in jeopardy in the future.

[ctdonath2]

Sorry, I was partially reacting to other “baiting” stories.

Funny how they jump on the “bait” thing but minimize or exclude the “he had just attacked US troops” thing.