I was south of this area and counted up over 250 death in a 45 day period in 2006 where Shia slaughtered Sunnis in revenge attacks. Quoting some Arab saying that justice needs to be heard is liken to a rapist shouting that he doesn't want to be beaten up once in prison - it makes no sense!
Anyone operating in Iraq who has gone through an ambush can understand that there is never a crime scene. Any insurgent that falls dead from counter-fire will be striped of his possessions by those around him - that's the way it works over there and will always work.
The US public and especially Wash DC has no idea what guerrilla warfare is all about and can't wrap their little heads around it - nor take the time to understand - and will always sell out for the sake of "looking good."
I support BW and the brothers within! God be with them - because the State Dept is not!
They should have booted the diplomats into the street and driven off.
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
I wish these guys well and support them 100% on protecting their own and their client’s lives in a war zone
Insurgencies are fought by civilian fighters who operate among civilians, launch their attacks from among civilians, use civilians as human shields, and then escape and hide among civilians.
It is impossible to fight this kind of insurgency without killing civilians. If you do not have the nerve to confront and accept civilian casualties, you have already lost and you may as well surrender.
If you do not have the nerve to confront and accept civilian casualties, you do not have the right to send good men into this situation. They are going to do what they have to do to stay alive and complete the mission you sent them to do. If you can’t back them up, you have no right to send them in the first place.
His life is on the line. All he asks from you is to not flake on him.
Can anyone identify the statutes that allows federal (not military) prosecution for alleged crimes committed in countries other than the US and gives the US govt. jurisdiction for actions of individuals outside of the country.
My fear is that, like the Haditha Marines, the US government wants to throw these Blackwater guards under the bus in a twisted attempt to foster “good will” among the Iraqi politicians and appease domestic Democrats. The deck is stacked. These guys are toast. If I was one of these guys I might have chosen to disappear rather than turn myself in.
You are aware Blackwater's thrown these guys under a bus, right?
God Bless those brave American Men! It seems their leaders have abandoned them...
Seems to me that the Defense was smart enough to push this into a jurisdiction where the jury pool probably will be much more conservative.
On general principles, I will continue to back the Blackwater contractors involved in this incident. If one or more of these men did go rogue, I would want that to come to light. It is imperitive to me, that the innocent are not smeared or blamed for the actions of one or two team members who may have veered from standard policies.
I will keep an open mind on this, but I am also going to be keeping as good an eye on it as I can, so that these guys don’t get railroaded.
They all surrendered in Salt Lake City, even though only one of them was/is a Utah resident. I hope that means they will be tried here, where they will get as patriotic and sympathetic a jury as they could find anywhere.
Paul Cassell, one of their lawyers, is very smart. Arrogant — but very smart. He is a former federal judge. I wish him and his clients the best.