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"If true, that was a spectacularly foolish move on the part of the marine that will no doubt end up in a court martial. What could he have been thinking?"

He was probably scared sh*tless by the firefight he'd just been through. I've never been in the military, but I'd bet that more than a few POW's have been shot in the immediate aftermath of a battle when the adrenalin is racing and you are filled with rage at what you've just seen done to your comrades. I think "Saving Private Ryan" showed some instances of that - right after the Americans secured Omaha Beach, they shot a few (not all) of the Germans who were trying to surrender. I bet that was common. True adherence to rules governing POW's probably doesn't always "kick in" right when a battle ends.

True adherence to rules governing POW's probably doesn't always "kick in" right when a battle ends.

That's no doubt true. I don't envy our soldiers who have to cart reporters around with them, only to have their actions captured on tape for the world to see and second-guess.

It seems like an impossible line to walk in instances such as this one.