Posted on 12/10/2004 11:35:15 PM PST by kattracks
I, on the other hand, as a former Navy Medical Officer, can morphine him to death.
I, on the other hand, when I was a Navy intern, have seen a respirator turned off on a patient that was playing cards earlier the same day because his family had decided that they did not want him to "suffer".
Although I was the lowest guy on the medical totem pole at the time, I strenously argued against it while more experienced residents and attendings pointed out that my course of action would only bring two weeks of suffering.
There is no absolute "right" or "wrong" in such cases.
There is only the legal fact that, with my Medical Corps device on my collar, I can decide to take a life with morphine, at my discretion, in such a scenario but, if you have an Infantry device on your collar, you have no right to take the life at all.
Yes exactly as I said in the my post before. I wouldn't want any vigilante mercy killers in my platoon, thank you very much.
Then why are you so in favor of mercy killing?
Besides, the role of the Army is to close with and defeat the enemy, not cleanse the planet.
The planet cleansing stuff is just plain creepy....
What was the nature of your wound? I take it some kind of abdominal surgery?
I'm just curious. As for this soldier, I do think he should've received some kind of punishment, if only because this is a violation of the UCMJ and the UCMJ must be upheld even when you disagree with it (and I do, at a number of points). However, I don't agree that the punishment should've been this severe.
It's a tough case for me, really. I sympathize with the mercy-killing, but if you stop upholding military discipline and regulation then ultimately far more good men will die than will be spared unjust punishment..
As an EMT, you've got medical training, resources, and most importantly, the means to deliver the trauma patient to a hospital within 10 minutes. There's no legal or moral excuse to stop working someone until they're under the care of doctors.
However, that's not the same as being in some third world valley, dealing with a badly shot up indig who won't be getting medical attention, and is clearly dying an agonizing death.
Precisely.
I think this guy just freaked out at all the screaming and blood. Not a role model....
A 'car wreck' is different from combat. Every been in combat? Ever been in the military? My father saw Americans shoot AMERICANS when their guts were spilling out on the sand in the South Pacific fighting the Japs. If you've never been in these kinds of situations and no nothing about warfare other than watching some dopey soap-opera on tv; I'd suggest you move on over to DU where you belong.
That wasn't the case here, though.
I mean, Jesus, if you are actually going to cap the guy in this case, can't you say: "I though he had a grenade or I thought he had a gun." Usually that's enough....
Why do it and claim 'mercy killing' which is illegal. That's stupid!
That's what I thought also. Hopefully this is the same case and not another one....
14 years, and I used to be an officer in Infantry Units, you?
I must have missed the course on proper mercy killing and methods of euthanasia at Officer Basic Course....
This is another case. The one with the 'half a skull' claim was a Captain.
As an American GI, I would have to either render aid or let him die by himself. I only brought up the EMT scenario in response to a direct question.
There are plenty of situation where I am allowed to shoot people over here, but this isn't one of them. I would probably prefer that this soldier not get any prison time, and I understand his motivation, but they have to enforce the UCMJ. That's what makes us an army and not a mob.
My father in law was a Marine radioman on Iwo Jima who went ashore on day one and went to the end. I was watching a war footage documentary on Iwo with him and it showed burning Japs running out of a cave on fire after being flame-throwered.
I asked him if they shot these guys to put them out of their misery, and he looked at me and said, "Why?" They had no mercy in their hearts, and wanted them to suffer as much as possible.
How times have changed. Now a Marine gets three years for doing the humane thing.
I hope those lilly-white Polly Purebread pencil-neck JAG lawyers burn in hell.
Amen, Bro... Very well stated. I would only add: That's what makes us the world's greatest army and not a mob.
:)
Exactly. He openly admits to breaking the law, and the JAG's hands are tied.
Have you seen someone screaming, helplessly trapped in burning wreckage, on fire, torn almost in half, spending his last minute in more pain than you will feel in ten lifetimes?
I'm OK with that....
How times have changed. Now a Marine gets three years for doing the humane thing.
Yeah, but euthanasia just isn't a US policy, so why claim it as a reason you shot an injured terrorist?
I think the guy freaked out at all the gore and screaming....
He only got three years.
Yeah, but I didn't shoot him--it was a car wreck....
So now you dare to compare the mercy killing of a human suffering unbearable screaming pain, on fire.....to Nazis killing healthy naked women and children in cold blood. You sir, are not worthy of the freedom these soldiers buy for you with their sacrifice. I hope you are not an American, breathing our free air.
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