[Gunrunner2]

Unless he was trying to surrender or had surrendered, tough.

The rules are clear: If you are wounded you are to be cared for, of course, but only after you have surrendered. If you are incapable of surrendering (judgment call), then you may not be harmed, as this implies you are incapable of surrendering.

I would withhold judgment until we find out the immediacy of the event and action, and all the facts.

[pissant]

Damn it. The terrorists have broken every single damn rule for warfare, prisoner and civilian treatment, etc. THEY DESERVE NO MERCY. These bastards were moments earlier trying to kill the marines. They were captured and DID NOT surrender properly. They were shooting from a Mosque. If this Marine gets court marshaled for killing this scum I'm going to go to the mat against the Pentagon. All a soldier needs is a suspicion that the turd posed a threat. Faking death is such a threat. Making him really dead was the correct action.

[Who dat?]

The rules are clear: If you are wounded you are to be cared for, of course, but only after you have surrendered.

What do the “rules” say about mounting an attack from a church (mosque), school, or hospital?

What do the “rules” say about feigning death or surrender, in order to mount an attack (it has happened at least four times by my count)?

[What do the “rules” say about participating in belligerent activity while posing as a civilian? Or doing so while mingling among civilians to disguise your intentions, for that matter…]

So I guess the Big Question is that if you routinely mount attacks from a church, school, or hospital AND have feigned death or surrender to mount an attack, do the “clear rules” still hold?

IOW, are you worthy of being *allowed* to surrender? Surrender is a *benefit* usually (traditionally) bestowed to those behaving in a lawful manner.

Not that it matters, really... they haven't solicited my opinion - ever.

[SE Mom]

I would withhold judgment until we find out the immediacy of the event and action, and all the facts.

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I completely agree. I'm not going to jump on either bandwagon- the one that says our military can do no wrong- nor the one that says they are always wrong.

There ARE rules of warfare- our soldiers and marines are highly trained in following them.