Posted on 11/16/2004 9:04:28 PM PST by Former Military Chick
US marines yesterday rallied around their colleague who is being investigated for shooting an unarmed, wounded insurgent in a Falluja mosque, as a senior UN human rights official called for an inquiry into alleged abuses in the city. The US military promised an investigation into the shooting amid allegations that marines shot three other wounded insurgents execution-style.
A marine was televised killing the man after noticing that he was still breathing. In footage filmed by an embedded television reporter for NBC, one soldier was caught on camera saying: "He's fucking faking he's dead."
"The marine then raises his rifle and fires into the man's head," said the NBC reporter, Kevin Sites. The marine was heard immediately afterwards saying: "He's dead now."
The protection of wounded combatants is a basic tenet of the Geneva conventions which govern the rules of war. Amnesty International has accused both sides of breaking these rules.
Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said yesterday all those responsible for violations should be brought to justice.
All violations of international humanitarian and human rights law had to be investigated, she said, including "the deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks [and] the killing of injured persons."
Fellow marines said yesterday they saw the shooting as the act of a comrade who faced intense pressure. "I can see why he would do it. He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Falluja. There should be an investigation but they should look into the circumstances," Lance Corporal Christopher Hanson told Reuters.
Sergeant Nicholas Graham said: "You can't trust these people... He did nothing wrong."
The footage provoked anger in the Arab world where some al-Jazeera viewers compared it to the Abu Ghraib torture pictures.
Most British broadcasters decided not to show the moment of death, although Channel Five showed the whole sequence in its 7pm bulletin, followed by a discussion of the pictures.
· The US military has charged 2nd Lieutenant Erick Anderson with premeditated murder for his part in the shooting of an injured Iraqi man in Baghdad in August, officials said yesterday.
Our troops need to know that we support them, that they make quick decisions and sometimes the results are not pretty, then again war isn't pretty.
I think this is the most important quote here.
F the arab world.
They have accused the insurgents of breaking the rules? That sure got a lot of press.
"Iraqi"?
" Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said yesterday all those responsible for violations should be brought to justice."
Hey Louise ..why dont ya take a look at Africa you moron !..Or are you too busy investigating the mass graves all over Iraq left over from their former mad man dictator ..Yea i bet you are..But one US marine kills someone and you're ALL OVER HIM ..Kind of funny huh ..
"
Hail to our heroes! God bless our troops! Mainstream media is doing its usual hatchet job on our troops because mainstream media is pro-demoncRAT and angry for losing the WH. We need pro-pubby media journalists like Cal Thomas, Bill Bennett, Kathleen Parker, etc. to start writing editorials defending this young man and our troops.
The protection of wounded combatants is a basic tenet of the Geneva conventions which govern the rules of war. Amnesty International has accused both sides of breaking these rules."
If they are now admitting this was an "enemy combatant" and not an "innocent" Iraqi, then it is against the Geneva Convention for him to be "playing possum".
I believe the Geneva Convention allows for the immediate execution of any enemy combatant out of uniform. This would pretty much cover all the insurgents.
I agree. There is nothing that will convice me otherwise. I am not a yes person when it comes to the troops. They should be accountable, but, he is innocent until proven otherwise.
I am sick and tired of the editorializing of the networks and papers that seem to know something we do not know. Frankly this Marine was within his rights. We train for such events, generally it is thought that once a combatant is deat that perhaps something he had on him might go off, so they learn to clear and they have SOPs to ensure it is done correctly.
This is different, they were already shot at by the folks the day before and a soldier died when he approached a body that blew up. Why would our troops think anything differently. He was a hero to his fellow Marines. What would we have said had he not done anything and not only would he have been dead but fellow soldiers might have died as well.
I want our troops to know, from me, that when they go out for their day, that I trust teir judgement, and I will not second guess anyone of them, when it is their life or the lives of our troops.
Sorry for the rant, but, frankly I am just ticked off at the MSM.
Rush's handling of this today was priceless.
I would have done the same, except that I would have fired at least a three round burst.
We have got to make Our voice of support be louder than any other voice on this.
Terrorists are not protected by the Geneva Convention
MSNBC just said "This incident may prove to be bigger than Abu Ghraib". They have GOT to be kidding??!!!
Another thread about the Marine.
let our voice be heard **ping**
I didn't hear Rush today. What did he have to say?
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