Posted on 11/16/2004 11:31:37 PM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON A U.S. Marine being investigated for allegedly killing an unarmed, wounded Iraqi was acting under extreme combat stress, comrades said yesterday.It was also disclosed that the Marine had just returned to duty after being shot in the face the previous day.
[snip]
Marines interviewed yesterday said the shooting wasn't a scandal, but evidence of how soldiers react under extreme circumstances.
"I can see why he would do it," said Lance Cpl. Christopher Hanson. "He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Fallujah. There should be an investigation, but they should look into the circumstances."
"I would have shot the insurgent, too. Two shots to the head," said Sgt. Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong."
Military sources also noted that the bodies of rebels and even a beheaded hostage in June have been booby-trapped with explosives set to go off if touched by an soldier.
A Marine from the same unit as the one in question was reportedly killed the day before the shooting by a booby-trapped body and the day of the shooting, another Marine was killed by a booby-trapped body.
[snip]
A Pentagon spokesperson said, "The forces we face are not following the standards rules of war. They are using mosques. They are using civilians as human shields and all sorts of other tactics."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Nah, I'm going to bed...'night.
My problem is that the media is playing this over and over. I'm in Thailand right now and watching it on CNN and the BBC. I cannot remember seeing a SINGLE video of a beheading or execution shown.
What a double standard!!!!
They hide the level our enemies stoop too but make our troops out to be war criminals. At least we won the election no matter how hard the MSM tried to elect Kerry.
This is rediculous!!!...How in the hell are we going to win the war on terrorism when we second guess every move our troops make??...Get those G.D. cameras out of there!!!...What now...we have imbedded liberal photo ops for the radical left??...This is B.S.!.....Where's the outrage by the media over BEHEADINGS????...This marine had been shot in the face the day before and lost one of his own when a rigged dead terrorist's body blew up. The Liberals jumped all over this today and it makes me sick!
I am a 59 year old female real estate agent ad I got it from looking at the video. The Marine did the right thing. We hired these fine people to clean out a hornets nest and to put their well being above all and that is how you do it. Obviously, the critisizers (sp) do not know the least thing about warfare. The enemy over there has no respect for life and would love to blow up anything they can to take the lives of our guys. What is so hard to understand about that?
Did you notice in the tape footage that another terrorist on the floor immediately started saying he wanted to give over information after the Marine shot the first guy?
This is gruesome, tough stuff to watch. But did the killing of the wounded (presumably already dying) man possibly save future lives of U.S. and coalition forces by showing the enemy that we can be ruthless? Not to mention innocent Iraqi civilians.
Recall that the Russian commandos who stormed the Moscow theatre gave the terrorists head shots while they were unconscious from the gas. No taking chances with trying to take prisoners who were strapped with explosives. I don't recall anyone saying that was dirty pool. The French did the same thing with that lunatic who held school children hostage.
This is not conventional war. The Geneva Convention is not much help. We don't know yet what is the moral standard for fighting this kind of evil. But we cannot judge our own soldiers as if this were the French and British lining up in the Napoleonic Wars.
Carolyn
This incident was topic of discussion over the morning coffee yesterday. The folks attending were a couple of retired SOF, a recently retired O-5, who was with the embedded MSM in IOF, and a couple of others. As a whole everyone supports accountability, but not necessarily in the manner being done now. They understand the American mindset of wanting to shmooze to the news, but at the same time they understand OPSEC very well. They all have "I Love Me" walls around their desks and have a good share of hardware displayed, so they are not armchair warriors. One of the SOF guys cannot display his as we didn't have soldiers where he was on several occasions.
Bottom line - this is one tough nut to crack. The Marine probably did what all of us would do. The sad thing for him is he did it with a camera present. I cannot understand his COC not telling him to make sure cameras were not present if a situation like this arose.
The more I think about it the curiouser and curiouser I think the timing of this story is. This follows the great PR that the US military received from the Marlboro Man photo. It didn't take long for the MSM to come up with an alternative vision, did it?
Without a Marine to protect their sorry @$$*$, they'd die before nightfall.
I agree. The only mistake was the camera being there.
why does kerry have no opinion on this?
"I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6."
It's our job to call out the traitorous MSM at home and let our soldiers know we are behind them.
By Harry ("Breaker") Morant
In prison cell I sadly sit,
A d__d crest-fallen chappie!
And own to you I feel a bit-
A little bit - unhappy!
It really ain't the place nor time
To reel off rhyming diction -
But yet we'll write a final rhyme
Whilst waiting cru-ci-fixion!
No matter what "end" they decide -
Quick-lime or "b'iling ile," sir?
We'll do our best when crucified
To finish off in style, sir!
But we bequeath a parting tip
For sound advice of such men,
Who come across in transport ship
To polish off the Dutchmen!
If you encounter any Boers
You really must not loot 'em!
And if you wish to leave these shores,
For pity's sake, DON'T SHOOT 'EM!!
And if you'd earn a D.S.O.,
Why every British sinner
Should know the proper way to go
Is: "ASK THE BOER TO DINNER!"
Let's toss a bumper down our throat, -
Before we pass to Heaven,
And toast: "The trim-set petticoat
We leave behind in Devon."
There should be an investigation, but they should look into the circumstances."
Circumstances in extenuation and mitigation.
Circumstances in extenuation and mitigation:
832. ART. 32. INVESTIGATION
(b) The accused shall be advised of the charges against him and of his right to be represented at that investigation as provided in section 838 of this title (article 38) and in regulations prescribed under that section. At that investigation full opportunity shall be given to the accused to cross-examine witnesses against him if they are available and to present anything he may desire in his own behalf, either in defense or mitigation, and the investigation officer shall examine available witnesses requested by the accused. If the charges are forwarded after the investigation, they shall be accompanied by a statement of the substance of the testimony taken on both sides and a copy thereof shall be given to the accused.
People who shot civilians without need, are always in danger to kiss an electric chair. This is the best way to get rid of this kind of barbarism.
Are you actually advocating that we have portable execution chambers accompany our troops to deal with the terrorists?
People who shot civilians without need, are always in danger to kiss an electric chair. This is the best way to get rid of this kind of barbarism.
Margret Hassans was one of the civilians without need.
Zero times zero sums up what I think about your post.
Kinda nervy of these kind, calling you a "board troll." If so, I agree with your take and am willing to go down in flames for it with you. Got your back!
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