Sounds to me like a new platoon leader comes in and is a bad ass with his own troops and the locals at the outset based on the idea of come on strong and then back off. Apparently, he was very new, and his predecessor had his face blown up by the local terrorists.
So, he’s going to be Patton and whip everybody into shape. Didn’t work. Bad stuff happened before he also got to show his endearing side.
You are correct that JAG doesn’t prosecute anything unless they’re sure they have a conviction. That’s either a plus or a minus depending on how you look at it.
However, just assuming that he DID know via 6th sense that these were bad guys and his call was right, how does that change the trial if that info about those actually being terrorists gets shown in court? That the Lieutenant did not make a bad call, just a call not according to Hoyle?
I’m just remembering all 3 of my son’s deployments to Iraq and vicinity.
Each time I repeated the words an old Korea War vet told me: “Don’t Trust any of them. They are all your enemy. Do NOT trust ANY of them.”
And Sgt Howard Brandt came alive out of Korea even after being overrun by a combined Chinese Korean Hoard. He was the ranking NCO left and the platoon worked its way back to its own lines.
Howard Rule #2: Do not ever be in a crowd.
Howard Rule #3: Never be without your weapon and loaded.
And my son did not forget.