[Bluedaddy]

Whether these guys are in the right or should go to jail is of lesser importance than the larger issue - the Marine Corps has no business as part of SOCOM. Great shock troops like the Rangers, they have no idea of the complexities of counterinsurgency. In fact, the vast majority of the military does not,

Let the hatemail begin...

[madconservative]

I was unaware that SOCOM was dedicated solely to counterinsurgency, which evidently means “not killing terrorists”.

[Steel Wolf]

Whether these guys are in the right or should go to jail is of lesser importance than the larger issue - the Marine Corps has no business as part of SOCOM.

Yes and no.

First off, if these guys are getting railroaded because of politics and inter-service rivalries, that's not an issue of lesser importance. Letting bad PR and dumb policies sideline a unit of Marines, and possibly see them face trumped up charges, is abhorrent.

Second, I agree that the Corps has no business in SOCOM. This event illustrates that lack of discretion and finesse to the hilt. In theory, it could happen to anyone, but it happened to MARSOC right out the gate. The Marines are extremely capable at what they do, but trying to round hole/square peg them into SOCOM because some USMC generals think "Special Operations" sounds sexy is doing everyone a disservice.

[WolfgangVonKrieg]

I agree completely. I am a 11.5 year SF team guy (now retired), and the jarheads have no business in our business. If they want to do UW then let them ETS jarhead-land, join the Army, go Airborne, and then do SFAS and the QC. The jarheads should stay down at the beach where they belong.