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Girlene also points out a serious unfairness in regards to these trials. The military has intentionally kept them low key, tried to keep the trials overseas, tried to assign junior lawyers to the accused, has FULLY funded the prosecution beyond belief, and has kept quiet while the soldier families have to pay out of pocket for experienced legal help ($30,000+), airfare for lawyers and family to Baghdad, living expenses for lawyers and family to Baghdad, and has EVEN required the families to sign personal security waivers acknowledging that the military won't assist them with safety while they're in Iraq. I'm appalled at the treatment of the defense provided these families. It is bankrupting them.

It is incomprehensible to me that this is happening. Who is deciding to prosecute these soldiers like this, and why are they doing it? I was thinking that this plea from Army Ranger Sgt. Evan Vela's father should be posted in every recruitment office:

"...We are proud Americans. We fly our country’s flag with pride at our home. We are a hard working, blue-collar family who has always believed that we could take care of our own problems, as well as those of our children. Yet in this instance, our family has exhausted all of our resources. We have mortgaged our home, drained our savings accounts, and gotten as much help from family and friends as possible. We have given our children and our financial security to this war. What lies ahead is beyond the scope of our abilities. We have nothing more to give and desperately need your help."

Then again, is it actually possible that drying up recruitment may actually be the intent of whoever made it into a policy to persecute these soldiers?

Cordially,

Then again, is it actually possible that drying up recruitment may actually be the intent of whoever made it into a policy to persecute these soldiers?

I doubt it was their intent, but it may have this affect. How many middle to lower income families can afford to defend their sons, should their actions in combat come into question, without being wiped out financially?

More from the article....

...."Murphy, who has been investigated for one such shooting, testified that snipers in the unit at times felt that they should consider placing some of the classified materials on dead bodies to legitimize shootings that they thought might draw scrutiny. While the unit felt pressure for more kills, it also felt pressure to make them all seem ironclad...."

Sounds like they are walking a fine line between two concepts - Warfare and Lawfare.