Posted on 11/17/2004 10:44:35 AM PST by Trippin
War and the media: That is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."
Millions of Americans have reacted to this video taken in Fallujah (search) where a young Marine shot a wounded insurgent inside a mosque. That Marine is now under investigation. But he is innocent, and that will be proven.
Let's take it step by step.
Last night, I had to make a decision whether to show you that video or not. I chose to do it and then provide context. In that way, you could decide about the controversy.
You may remember I did not show the Abu Ghraib (search) pictures, and I was the only national anchorman not to do so. I felt those pictures put our troops in jeopardy and that I could describe the incidents of abuse verbally, which I did.
But combat is different. You have to see it to understand it.
On the tape, the Marine is clearly heard saying, "He's faking he's dead. He's faking he's dead." He said that right before he shot the insurgent. That statement shows the Marine thought the man was a danger.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Going against the Swifties will be a difficult mistake to overcome, but this is a good start.
Should Bill keep this sort of thing up, I may one day watch him again.
""He's faking he's dead. He's faking he's dead." He said that right before he shot the insurgent. That statement shows the Marine thought the man was a danger."
That, or it's like the South Park 'hunting' episode, where every kill is preceded by the cry "It's comin' right for us!!"
I side with the Marine regardless. Booby-trapped or not, in that situation, shoot first and ask questions later.
I don't care if the terrorist was still dangerous or not. The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist. I don't want to pay for his imprisonment, food, trial, etc. I'm very happy to pay for the bullet that went thru his head.
Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 4
A. Prisoners of war, in the sense of the present Convention, are persons belonging to one of the following categories, who have fallen into the power of the enemy:
-NO
1. Members of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict as well as members of militias or volunteer corps forming part of such armed forces.
-NO
2. Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a Party to the conflict and operating in or outside their own territory, even if this territory is occupied, provided that such militias or volunteer corps, including such organized resistance movements, fulfil the following conditions:
(a) That of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;
a-Maybe/Unknown
(b) That of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;
b-NO
(c) That of carrying arms openly;
c-NO
(d) That of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.
d-NO
2-NO (A-Maybe, B-NO, C-NO, D-NO)
3. Members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a government or an authority not recognized by the Detaining Power.
3-NO
4. Persons who accompany the armed forces without actually being members thereof, such as civilian members of military aircraft crews, war correspondents, supply contractors, members of labour units or of services responsible for the welfare of the armed forces, provided that they have received authorization from the armed forces which they accompany, who shall provide them for that purpose with an identity card similar to the annexed model.
4-NO
5. Members of crews, including masters, pilots and apprentices, of the merchant marine and the crews of civil aircraft of the Parties to the conflict, who do not benefit by more favourable treatment under any other provisions of international law.
5-NO
6. Inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who on the approach of the enemy spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces, without having had time to form themselves into regular armed units, provided they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war.
6-NO
B. The following shall likewise be treated as prisoners of war under the present Convention:
B-NO
1. Persons belonging, or having belonged, to the armed forces of the occupied country, if the occupying Power considers it necessary by reason of such allegiance to intern them, even though it has originally liberated them while hostilities were going on outside the territory it occupies, in particular where such persons have made an unsuccessful attempt to rejoin the armed forces to which they belong and which are engaged in combat, or where they fail to comply with a summons made to them with a view to internment.
-NO
2. The persons belonging to one of the categories enumerated in the present Article, who have been received by neutral or non-belligerent Powers on their territory and whom these Powers are required to intern under international law, without prejudice to any more favourable treatment which these Powers may choose to give and with the exception of Articles 8, 10, 15, 30, fifth paragraph, 58-67, 92, 126 and, where diplomatic relations exist between the Parties to the conflict and the neutral or non-belligerent Power concerned, those Articles concerning the Protecting Power. Where such diplomatic relations exist, the Parties to a conflict on whom these persons depend shall be allowed to perform towards them the functions of a Protecting Power as provided in the present Convention, without prejudice to the functions which these Parties normally exercise in conformity with diplomatic and consular usage and treaties.
-NO
C. This Article shall in no way affect the status of medical personnel and chaplains as provided for in Article 33 of the present Convention.
-NO
Article 5
The present Convention shall apply to the persons referred to in Article 4 from the time they fall into the power of the enemy and until their final release and repatriation.
Somebody must have some photos.
I think this video showing of a terrorist getting plugged big time ought to be our biggest advertisement to Al-Queda and other terrorists groups...it's like the anti-beheading videos. Hey, OBL wanna recruit, here's your future!
Yes, but this is the same O'Reilly who the day BEFORE wanted Bush to name Clinton as SecState..
The Iraqis where faking dead and not surrendering because just after the Marine shoots, another Iraqi faking dead put up his hands and surrenders
"The Iraqis where faking dead and not surrendering because just after the Marine shoots, another Iraqi faking dead put up his hands and surrenders"
Also, the Iraqis are booby-trapping their dead and wounded. Please note that my original and current stance is a siding WITH the Marine.
I couldn't care less what O'Reilly(who dodged the Viet Nam war) or any of the other moron from the MSM "thinks" about what this Marine did.
I, unlike most, am a combat Marine and what this Marine did was not only correct, it would have been a dereliction of duty had he not protected himself and his fellow Marines by not killing this enemy.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
WHAT? O'Reilly really said THAT? He's gone beyond the pale.
And this should not be forgotten!
O'Reilly "dissed" the Swiftees and sided with Kerry on the Viet Nam issue!!!
AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Of course O'Reilly should defend this soldier and do it aggressively. Only rabid anti-Americans and extremist liberals, like Chrissy Matthews, would do otherwise.
ab-SO-lutely
cost to care for a prisoner for 1 year: $50,000+
cost of 1 m16 bullet: about $0.30
simple math!
Those not there have no legitimate opinion on the matter, and combat veterans, while they do, should allow for the dangers of the specific situation to be considered mitigating.
No one can judge that man a murderer when he killed an enemy combatant in a war zone who was pretending to be dead.
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