Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Afghanistan massacre suspect named as Sgt Robert Bales
BBC ^ | 16MAR12 | N/A

Posted on 03/16/2012 3:53:49 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater

Senior US officials told the BBC the name of the suspect as he was heading back to the US to face charges. He is being flown to Fort Leavenworth, in Kansas, from Kuwait. His lawyer, John Henry Browne, said on Thursday that the suspect was a 38-year-old man who had been injured twice while serving in Iraq. He also said the accused had witnessed his friend's leg blown off the day before the killings. That incident has not been confirmed by the US Army. The Taliban called off peace talks in the wake of Sunday's deadly rampage - in which men, women and children were shot and killed at close range. The US has stressed it remained committed to Afghan reconciliation. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has also reacted angrily to the killings. He told the US it must pull back its troops from village areas and allow Afghan security forces to take the lead in an effort to reduce civilian deaths. On Friday he said the US was not fully co-operating with a probe into the killings.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afgancivilians; afghanistan; bales; jblm; massacre; robertbales
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 241-256 next last
To: PhilDragoo

Excellant post..I hope there is a groundswell of outrage of how this soldier was and is being treated..as well as how the media is treating him and his family now.


121 posted on 03/16/2012 6:52:48 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (NEWT in 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: Future Snake Eater

Thank you for this post. You are all in our prayers.
Thank you for your service.


122 posted on 03/16/2012 6:56:00 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Girlene

I contend there is plenty we still do not know.

*********

You are so right and until we get a glimmer of truth about what really happened I’m going to wait, watch and pray for this fine SSgt and his family. Hasan not being in Ft. Leavenworth speaks volumes to me. SSgt Bales is there.....

Hasan was shot when he killed for allah. SSgt Bales shot because he was wounded by those who worship allah.


123 posted on 03/16/2012 6:56:08 PM PDT by JouleZ (You are the company you keep.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: Drew68; P-Marlowe; bigheadfred; Lancey Howard; jazusamo; Girlene; smoothsailing
The Army dropped the ball.

I understand what you're trying to say, but I think the Army is playing with the hand it was dealt by our government.

We've been told for nearly a generation that we need an army big enough to fight 2 wars, so what did it mean when they cut it from 18 divisions down to 10 and then decided to get into action in the bosnia, and then kosovo, and then Iraq and Afghanistan?

It meant the GOVERNMENT was insisting that the Army deploy and re-deploy the same troops OVER AND OVER AGAIN in the government's game of "how long can we drag out this war."

This is different than in WWII where the troops were activated for longer but weren't brought into and out of danger on one year rotations. They were in it to win it and when it was over it was over and they were home to stay home.

This is different than Vietnam in which troops were on a one year rotation, but many were draftees whose personal hell ended when they got home and got out.

This is our first "long-term rotation war." I can see that the mental toll on our troops is devastating.

At the same time, I'm waiting for more info on Sgt Bales' actions to come out as to what military reasons he might have thought he had for attacking that location at that time. Perhaps there are none, and perhaps he did have a melt-down, but I'm still waiting on judgement until I hear more from his defense team.

124 posted on 03/16/2012 6:56:46 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing; xzins; Irenic
Yes, there are a lot of inconsistencies in the reports.

Irenic's post highlights some thoughts in this FR thread, post 46

Now maybe some of these inconsistencies are due to Afghani statements which are not always trustworthy (the cousins at the second house saw two soldiers enter the house next door at 3 am, then they ran away????? What were they doing up at 3 am to look who was going in or out of their cousin's house?)
125 posted on 03/16/2012 6:56:55 PM PDT by Girlene
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: Steve Newton

Steve thank you for supporting Sgt. Robert Bales on the silverstarfamilies.org. website.
I’ll be sending this wonderful organization a donation.


126 posted on 03/16/2012 6:57:43 PM PDT by mojo114 (Pray for our military)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing; PhilDragoo; Velveeta; Girlene; Future Snake Eater
Thank you all for the pings and thank you FSE for the thread and your personal info.

I agree with Smooth, the info coming out so far is all over the place and I'll reserve judgment also for reliable facts to surface. Prayers for Sgt. Bales and his family.

Vel, the info so far sounds somewhat like McJerk wrote 6 years ago but I'm pretty sure he's not involved and I doubt the little weasel has it in him to go to Afghanistan.

127 posted on 03/16/2012 7:00:52 PM PDT by jazusamo (Character assassination is just another form of voter fraud: Thomas Sowell)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: bigheadfred

lol, bhfred.....you made me look up contend...thought I’d used it wrong! Give me a break! :-)


128 posted on 03/16/2012 7:01:32 PM PDT by Girlene
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Twinkie
Do you think that the U.S. should get out of Afghanistan at this point, that all the main objectives have been reached; and now that Karzai and others are making noises to have Americans out of their country, should we leave?

WHAT? This soldier just showed the way to victory.

No riots

Karzai saves the day?

Whatever.

129 posted on 03/16/2012 7:02:18 PM PDT by bigheadfred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 120 | View Replies]

To: lodi90

Sorry I am actually not a truther. I was not aware speculation was out of line. I was just throwing it out there for what it was worth, because I was not there, I could not possibly know. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer, I guess. I’m glad you are out there though, cause I get lonely sitting here by myself at the computer, just bouncing things off the inside of my own head.


130 posted on 03/16/2012 7:08:39 PM PDT by quickquiver (No, means N O.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 118 | View Replies]

To: Future Snake Eater
FSE,

I am so proud of you for your service and for stepping up and representing one of your Band of Brothers from Iraq. This is truly an act of a combat proven leader. Thank you for your service, your integrity and your leadership.

Know that you, your family and SSGT Bales and family are in our prayers. I am so grateful for the sacrifices that our military members and their families have made. I'm proud of the military for getting him out of the country and know that some careers may have been sacrificed for that effort.

This is a courageous act. I salute you for it.

TS

131 posted on 03/16/2012 7:11:46 PM PDT by The Shrew (www.wintersoldier.com; www.tstrs.com; The Truth Shall Set You Free!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jesseam

Thankfully it only took me a few months to shake the “jumps” though I was quite a piece of work during my R&R leave!

Stay safe, brother.


132 posted on 03/16/2012 7:12:24 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (Don't stop. Keep moving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 115 | View Replies]

To: jveritas

The stone age “crap” was only referring to the natives of Afghanistan! China does what China does and I can’t help that. I hear Hong Kong is a wonderful place and BO’s brother must think so too. Haven’t you noticed that our natives are more dispendable lately, or not?


133 posted on 03/16/2012 7:15:58 PM PDT by quickquiver (No, means N O.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: Future Snake Eater; jesseam

God Bless you both for your service. Thank you.


134 posted on 03/16/2012 7:20:29 PM PDT by mojo114 (Pray for our military)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 132 | View Replies]

To: PapaBear3625
They certainly do. That's what pains me so much about this. Such a great guy reduced to this by those people. Just awful.
135 posted on 03/16/2012 7:26:41 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (Don't stop. Keep moving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Future Snake Eater
Thanks for your service, your insight and the photo you posted.

I'm sure many folks would like to know if SSG Bales is on the right or the left of the picture.

Leni

136 posted on 03/16/2012 7:26:55 PM PDT by MinuteGal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Toespi

Yeah, that’s him.


137 posted on 03/16/2012 7:27:39 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (Don't stop. Keep moving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: MinuteGal

Bales on the right, I’m on the left.


138 posted on 03/16/2012 7:29:43 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (Don't stop. Keep moving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: JoanneSD

The administration has labeled the Ft. Hood terrorist a case of “workplace related violence” whereas they are branding this a warcrime.

The murder of a POW named Gaddafi was ALSO a warcrime yet Sec. of State Hillary Clinton laughed and said “we got him!”.

The administration encourages terrorist attacks to “avenge” this brutal attack. Their moral “outrage” is inconsistent and not based in morals.


139 posted on 03/16/2012 7:33:06 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Barack Obama continued to sponsor Jeremiah Wright after he said "G.D. AMERIKKA!"Where's the outrage?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Future Snake Eater
1 posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 5:54:03 PM by Future Snake Eater: “I served with Bales for three years as his Platoon Leader. He is an absolutely outstanding Soldier, and what has transpired here is so out of character, I don't even know where to start. Please keep his wife and two young kids in your thoughts and prayers. He needs help. Hopefully he'll get it.”

OUCH!

It was clear that you had inside information from some prior posts, but I never dreamed the relationship was so close.

I've had some long discussions with my niece about not wanting to see her on FOX News someday as the “poster girl” for soldiers torturing people or shooting civilians. Let's just say the South Korean rules under which her father and grandfather served in the ROK Army allow far more leeway than the United States — “kimchi temper” is not a joke for Korean soldiers.

However, that's hypothetical. What you're dealing with is blunt force reality and I feel horrible for you.

Prayers for your wisdom and for Bales.

140 posted on 03/16/2012 7:35:02 PM PDT by darrellmaurina
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 241-256 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson