Uh huh.
Well, you're not the first to be outed here, and you won't be the last.
Posted on 02/08/2003 10:11:24 AM PST by Clive
A Canadian sniper up for the Bronze Star medal for his combat role in Afghanistan has been cleared of allegations he desecrated the body of a dead al-Qaeda fighter, the Defence Department said yesterday.
Military investigators lacked evidence for charges against Master Corporal Arron Perry and another Canadian, following allegations soldiers cut the finger off an enemy combatant and staged a "trophy" photo of the body.
The investigation also examined claims a soldier defecated on a second body. Master Cpl. Perry had been suspended pending the outcome of the probe, but was returned to duty yesterday in Edmonton.
"After a thorough investigation by the National Investigation Service, the evidence wasn't sufficient to support charges in that case," said Captain Mark Giles, a Department of National Defence public affairs officer.
Master Cpl. Perry, a member of Edmonton's 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, said he was relieved the investigation had concluded.
"I'm glad finally it's done," he said.
The sniper was part of a small group of Canadian soldiers who directly engaged the Taliban and al-Qaeda during a tour in Afghanistan. He has been credited with helping save soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division pinned down by enemy fire in Shah-i-Kot Valley.
The Canadians' sharp-shooting on al-Qaeda machine-gun nests and mortar positions were chronicled in Soldier of Fortune magazine. U.S. commanders have since recommended the snipers for Bronze Stars recognizing heroic or meritorious service.
But a few weeks after that triumph, Master Cpl. Perry was sent home under a cloud of suspicion. Allegations surfaced in mid-March that he had interfered with a body and there were reports of a photograph showing a dead enemy fighter with a cigarette in his mouth and a small sign on his chest reading "f--k terrorism."
But the investigation centred on claims a soldier had taken a finger from the body.
"The photos, while being perhaps inappropriate, that was not the main focus of the investigation. The main focus was the allegations of interfering with the dead body," Cpt. Giles said. "It's as much moral as it is legal. We always want dead bodies, whether they be enemy or friendly, to be treated with dignity."
Military investigators dug up the corpse and searched tents at the Canadian military base, seizing a knife. DNA tests were conducted to see if the knife could be tied to the body, but no link was established.
Dad sounds like a real winner. LOL!
Thanks for the definition.
"Now, are you or your dad saying that being a Recon Marine or having a chest full of ribbons somehow excuses torture and murder on the battlefield?"
I think you dont quite comprehend my position. I am not looking to excuse Torture. I'd have to have a problem with it first.
Murder on the battlefield...that is hilarious.
Compared to you? Hahaha ~Wink~
There's nothing hilarious about murdering or torturing POWs, VaBthang, although I guess every Army has its share of William Calleys.
Was your dad ever caught, or charged?
What's his name?
Seems that his commanders agree.
Those Al-Queda aren't even worth burying. Shoot them and leave them like the dropped after you rifle through their pockets, I say.
Again your comprehension is lacking. Your run of the mill australian PC/effeminate mentality...that is what I find hilarious.
;o)
Our enemy on the other hand took ONE US soldier prisoner and MURDERED him an hour later!
As for this Canadian soldier? He served honorably in time of war. He was charged with an offense. He was acquitted. End of story.
What does the Geneva convention say about spies? Basically, far as I know, rules of war regarding treatment of POWs have always applied to soldiers wearing the uniform of their country and to nobody else. In particular, spies have always been subject to summary judgement and execution.
Terrorists are definitely in the category of spies rather than soldiers wearing uniforms and the case of taliban 'soldiers', i.e. soldiers of a terrorist organization, whether they wore uniforms or not, is sufficiently questionable that I don't see any real requirement to treat them as POWs. The ones who get sent over here will definitely not be wearing uniforms.
The actions of few soldiers in Somalia was an isolated incident from the remaining members of the C.A.R. After the disbanding of the C.A.R. a number of members from 1 Cdo, 2 Cdo and 3 Cdo went over to JTF-2, which performed flawlessly in A-stan. So what's your point?
After what happned the Ranger Task Force, I couldn't care less what happened to the Somalis or what went down at the Cdn compound, which had been repeatedly breached.
Uh huh.
Well, you're not the first to be outed here, and you won't be the last.
It says you can't mutilate their corpses, which is what we're discussing here.
He wasn't under combat.
After the combat was finished, is when he started cutting off corpses' fingers, sticking cigarettes in dead mouths, and taking happy snaps.
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