Soldier charged in deaths of 5 U.S. troops (Perp Identified)

CNN ^ | May 12, 2009

[rightwingintelligentsia]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. soldier who fired on fellow troops in Iraq has been identified as Army Sgt. John Russell, and he's been charged with five counts of murder, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Russell killed five people when he fired on other troops at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport, U.S. officials said.

Along with five counts of murder, Russell also was charged with one count of aggravated assault, said Maj. Gen. David Perkins, who briefed reporters in Baghdad.

Russell is on his third tour in Iraq. He's with the 54th Engineering Battalion, based in Germany. He is in military police custody at Camp Victory.

There are no immediate insights on a motive, Perkins said.

The military is conducting a criminal investigation and another probe that explores whether the shootings could have been prevented, Perkins said.

Among the five killed, two were on the staff of the clinic -- one from the Army and the other from the Navy. Both were with the 55th Medical Company. The other three were enlisted soldiers. None of the victims have been identified.

[PurpleMan]

“leftist sources”

If the sources were wrong then why didn’t the Army/military refute them? They didn’t refute them because the “leftist sources,” as you call them, got them from the Army.

[Snurple]

John Russell doesn’t sound like the name of a convert to the Religion of Peace, so I’ve got to wonder why the long delay in releasing his identity.

Wait till you see a picture of Mr John Russell....it will become apparent to you.

[Vigilanteman]

This guy?

[Eaker]

I rarely have to dive into a bunker these days. :)

Unless that is where the booze is hidden!

[ohioWfan]

This has been said before, so there's no reason to assume you'll get it this time either, but that is partial information. The numbers are right, but the perspective is wrong. Just like yours.

It is not the Army's responsibility to refute partial reports by leftist anti-military sources. Perhaps you should take it upon yourself to aquire some perspective on the things you have swallowed from the left by looking up the suicide statistics of the population at large. I'm always curious as to why people like you want to besmirch our military on a conservative site using CNN as a source. I'm sure you won't explain it, but I'm curious nonetheless....

[PurpleMan]

“It is not the Army’s responsibility to refute partial reports..” Hell it isn’t. What do you think their people who work with the media do when there is wrong info? Sit there with their thumbs in their ears? No, they get the record corrected. Moreso, they talk with the reporters ahead of time to make sure they have their facts correct. DUH? What a novel idea! Your lack of understanding of how reporters and the military work wiith each other is mind-boggling.

“...by leftist anti-military sources.”

So CNN, NYT, Military Times, JAMA, San Jose Mercury and the Hartford Courant are leftist anti-military sources? Baised? Sure. Everyone is. “Leftist anti-military sources?” Wow. You’d better leave now. Joseph Farahis is calling you to write some articles.

[ohioWfan]

Let's get to the point.

Why are you making such a point to besmirch our military on a conservative website?

What motivates you to ignore the overall statistics on suicide and state your anti-military perspective? (No one is arguing with the numbers - just what you have implied by using them).

I don't know who you are other than what you have said here. Do you oppose the Iraq War, and therefore join the left in presenting an anti-military view? Do you oppose the military itself? Are you a pacifist?

What point, exactly, are you trying to make with your less than persuasive argument and speculation here?

[Allegra]

That’s the “suck it up and fight you wimps” hook “ohioWfan” - to provide most of the information, but not all of it.

Did I accidentally take a left turn and stumble into DU?

Are you anti-military and if so, why?

This is a sad and tragic incident, but I've been reading of many similar incidents occurring over the past few months in civilian venues back in the USA.

This one just happened to occur on a military base downrange.

[Allegra]

Tell Eric I said “tahaneena” for the Bronze Star. He’s been over here enough...I’m sure he knows what it means. :)

[ohioWfan]

THANK you, Allegra. PurpleMan has mysteriously, or not so mysteriously avoided declaring his true intention here.

I'd like to know why he's on this thread belittling the men and women who are in harm's way defending him.

[ohioWfan]

Tell Eric I said “tahaneena” for the Bronze Star. He’s been over here enough...I’m sure he knows what it means. :)

I'll tell him when we drive up and see him this weekend. (I've got to write down that tahaneena part though - there's no way I'll remember it!).

He earned that baby, Allegra. The write up on what that boy did in your general neighborhood is astounding. All kinds of stuff I'm glad I didn't know when he was doing it. Yikes!

[PurpleMan]

Anti-military? Are you Nucking Futs?

My “suck it up and fight you wimps” response was an imitation of his/her post.

The tragic issue here is that there are so many who are willing to say that combat stress does not exist -— at all and that anyone who suffers from it is really just a wimp who needs to “suck it up and fight.”

[ohioWfan]

You can't be that much of an idiot.

I have a son who has done two tours in Iraq and earned a bronze star, going on 200 missions in East Baghdad, and you think I'm unwilling to say that combat stress exists?? What a joke!

There's only one person who's nuts here, and it sure isn't Allegra. (Do you have ANY idea what she's been doing the past 6 years??)

Now tell the truth about what you think about Operation Iraqi Freedom, our men and women in uniform, and your political background. Every post you've written indicates that you're an anti-military leftist. I'd like to see proof that you're not.

[MozartLover]

My kiddo just called. I knew he was okay, of course, but it was still good to hear his (rather sleepy) voice (it's early a.m. over there.)

Big sandstorm yesterday, I guess, and today a bit of rain.

He will be on the move soon.

[MozartLover]

p.s. I know this is off-topic but I just had to share this pic of some Packers players visiting troops at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin:

Check out the caps.:)

Re: the topic at hand.......it hurts to think about it....my heart just aches for the families. Ev didn't have much to say about it, other than that he had read about it in Stars & Stripes. As a medic he is trained to watch for signs of stress; it's part of his job. My hope........and my prayer........is that he'll have to deal with nothing more serious than sand in the eyes and the occasional case of dehydration.

May God bless and protect all of our troops.

[Allegra]

Anti-military? Are you Nucking Futs?

No, I'm not.

Are you?

[Allegra]

Big sandstorm yesterday, I guess, and today a bit of rain.

Hmmm....he must not be in Baghdad. We had bad sandstorms last week, but it's been clear, sunny and quite warm the last few days.

Anyway, may God bless and protect him and he, as well as all of the others, has my gratitude and respect.

[PurpleMan]

Every post you’ve written indicates that you’re an anti-military leftist

Since you have not read the 599 threads and 4,899 replies your statement is obviously a lie.

[PurpleMan]

Here are my posts on this thread.

Where arethe “anti-military and leftist” comments?

---

Here are my posts on this thread.

Where is the anti-militarism and leftistism

---

To: PISANO
“there are LESS (sic) incidents of this type in the US Military than ANY OTHER WALK OF LIFE.”
If you add all of the suicides, attempted suicides and, alcholol related incidents, I would enture to guess that the number is significantly higher.
Even if the incidents are comparable with civilan numbers, exactly how many of these incidents is acceptable to you?

---

To: ohioWfan
Stars&Stripes:
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=62572
Overall last year, there were 140 confirmed suicides and there are another seven probable suicides still under investigation, the Army said. That’s up from 115 in 2007, and 101 in 2006.
//////////////
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/army.suicides/index.html
WASHINGTON (CNN) — The U.S. Army will report Thursday the highest level of suicides among its soldiers since it began tracking the rate 28 years ago, CNN has learned.
Statistics obtained by CNN show that the Army will report 128 confirmed suicides last year and an additional 15 suspected suicides in cases under investigation among active-duty soldiers and activated National Guard and reserves.
The confirmed rate of suicides was 20.2 per 100,000. Army officials were reviewing the suspected suicides Wednesday. If any of them are confirmed, the rate will rise.
In 2007, the Army reported 115 confirmed suicides, the highest level since 1980, when it began tracking suicides.
////////////
Military Times: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/03/airforce_suicide_032309w/
Suicide rates remain high
Top officers urge ‘supportive climate’ for troubled troops
The suicide rates in all four services last year were higher than the national civilian average, and significantly higher in the Army and Marines, which saw overall increases.
////////////
Journal of Amaerican Medicine: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/301/11/1111
Soldier Suicide Rates Continue to Rise:
/////////////
Hartford Courant: http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-mentally-unfit-still-fightin.artmay12,0,2018202.story
Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, more than 210 service members have killed themselves while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the suicide rate has risen significantly since the beginning of those campaigns. Army-wide, there have been 64 confirmed or suspected suicides in the first four months of this year, with the suicide rate among soldiers now exceeding the demographically adjusted civilian rate.
//////////
San Jose Mercury News: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12320617?nclick_check=1
///////
And yes......
NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/30suicide.html?pagewanted=print
Suicides of Soldiers Reach High of Nearly 3 Decades
Suicides among soldiers in 2008 rose for the fourth year in a row, reaching the highest level in nearly three decades, Army officials said Thursday.
At least 128 soldiers killed themselves last year, and the Army suicide rate surpassed that for civilians for the first time since the Vietnam War, according to Army statistics. The suicide count, which includes soldiers in the Army Reserve and the National Guard, is expected to grow; 15 deaths are still being investigated, and the vast majority of them are expected to be ruled suicides, Army officials said.
Including the deaths being investigated, roughly 20.2 of every 100,000 soldiers killed themselves. The civilian rate for 2006, the most recent figure available, was 19.2 when adjusted to match the demographics.
Suicides by active-duty soldiers continued an alarming rise during the first four months of the year, although they fell off in April after a service-wide push to identify soldiers on the brink, the Army reported Thursday.
Through April, the Army reported 64 confirmed or potential active-duty suicides, compared with 39 confirmed suicides in the same period last year. The 129 confirmed suicides for all of 2008 marked a record high since the Army started tracking them in 1980.

---

To: ohioWfan
See 115
To: ohioWfan
Originally, I said the include the suicides, attempted suicides and, alcholol related incidents.
You conveniently omit the data on these additional incidents.
That’s the “suck it up and fight you wimps” hook “ohioWfan” - to provide most of the information, but not all of it.

---

To: ohioWfan
“leftist sources”
If the sources were wrong then why didn’t the Army/military refute them? They didn’t refute them because the “leftist sources,” as you call them, got them from the Army.

---

To: ohioWfan
“It is not the Army’s responsibility to refute partial reports..” Hell it isn’t. What do you think their people who work with the media do when there is wrong info? Sit there with their thumbs in their ears? No, they get the record corrected. Moreso, they talk with the reporters ahead of time to make sure they have their facts correct. DUH? What a novel idea! Your lack of understanding of how reporters and the military work wiith each other is mind-boggling.
“...by leftist anti-military sources.”
So CNN, NYT, Military Times, JAMA, San Jose Mercury and the Hartford Courant are leftist anti-military sources? Baised? Sure. Everyone is. “Leftist anti-military sources?” Wow. You’d better leave now. Joseph Farahis is calling you to write some articles.

---

To: Allegra
Anti-military? Are you Nucking Futs?
My “suck it up and fight you wimps” response was an imitation of his/her post.
The tragic issue here is that there are so many who are willing to say that combat stress does not exist -— at all and that anyone who suffers from it is really just a wimp who needs to “suck it up and fight.”

[trisham]

Your language is atrocious.