I'm having a really difficult time here on this thread. You see, I just don't give a damn if that man was shot and killed by the Marine. I don't care if he was an innocent or a fighter. I don't care if he was wounded, raised his hand or whistled Dixie. Some folks are just in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong war.
I am not forgetting that all women, children and men over forty five years old were warned to evacuate weeks before the assault began. Men under forty five years old were warned to travel checkpoints and surrender because they would not be allowed to flee the city. These men in that mosque, who stayed, chose their deaths.
If we even have thoughts of this Marine to be in any way punished for killing the enemy, we should hang our head in shame.
You're saying the laws of war don't apply to U.S. forces. I disagree. I'm not prejuding this incident yet, however.
You know what? Its WORSE than that.
If we had done a cordon and long stick bombing result would likely be most mosques intact and Zarqawi dead along with most leadership dead. ING clears out mosques and maybe we lose five marines instead of 38+