Casting stones

There was some outrage in the cab last night over the American soldier shooting the cove in the Iraqi mosque. Based on the radio news I could only agree. Shooting an unarmed, injured combatant is as bad as it gets, or so I thought.

Then later, I logged-on for the other side of the story. Which of course there is. I read American Soldier, a blog from Iraq who's posted, Marines killing an INNOCENT terrorist.

The guy is a Marine involved in the Fallujah shitfight, and is very upset. If you've taken a position on this killing then American Soldier needs to be read. Now I have, I'm not so sure. Given what the troops are faced with there, I may well have done the same thing.

On the weekend, I picked up a spook. He was ex-SAS who now worked with the Office of National Assessment and had just returned from Fallujah. The poor bloke was really edgy and couldn't sit still in the seat. I asked him what was going on there. 'Mate,' he responded, 'we're facing 12 year old kids with guns - what are we supposed to do..?'.

Comments

[Julie]

Reminds me of Vietnam.

[Noswonky]

The news reports I saw of the incident, which were mainly from the U.S. media, seemed very balanced. They reported that the video "appeared" to show a marine shooting an unarmed, wounded Iraqi - that bodies are aften boobytrapped, which may explain the marine's actions - that the shooter had himself been wounded the previous day - and that the guilt or innocence of the marine was yet to be determined. On the other hand, "American Soldier" seems extremely biased. The blogger and his readers seem to be saying that reporters who see American soldiers apparently commiting war crimes, should just hush it up! And the wounded Iraqi lying on the floor of the mosque was automatically guilty, and a terrorist, because he "moved".
The presumption of innocence should apply equally to the Iraqi and to the American. None of us knows the full story - it must be investigated. But to ignore or suppress the incident would itself be a crime.

[dee]

I think its outrageous that this soldier should be accused of murder, especially since others were killed the day before in the same situation.

Mosques are not 'holy places' - they are storerooms for weapons and hiding places for terrorists. US soldiers are being fired on from mosques. What was he supposed to do, risk his life and the lives of his platoon by giving a wounded terrorist the benefit of the doubt? Not to mention protecting the life of the scumbag reporter.

Soldiers are not police officers, they are meant to kill any enemies not actively engaged in trying to surrender. And these were not harmless citizens either -

No terrorist in Falluga has signed the Geneva Agreement, they are not soldiers, they dont wear uniforms to distinguish them from civilians.

Why wasnt the second wounded man shot as well? because he held out his hands where they could clearly be seen.

I hope this young man isnt charged with any crime - let alone murder - and that he comes home safe.

[Link]

"what are we supposed to do?" Desert - en masse.

[PQ]

A soldier has to make life and death decisions in moments.

These "outraged" commenters have never worn a uniform, never been exposed to the brutality and violence of combat, and yet feel they are competent to judge (and condemn) an action they have seen on a TV grab broadcast by a propaganda arm of of the terrorists.

Fucking disgraceful.

And, yes, Julie, reminds me of Vietnam as well. Our soldiers cursed, spat upon, and reviled by the very people they took an oath to protect.

I say again, fucking disgraceful.

[Red]

I remember when i was a Digger going thru Infantry training at Singelton.The Vietnam vet instructors teaching us to Double tap enemy who appear dead or are dead to be on the safe side during the "Fight Thru".There is nothing worse then putting yourself in danger and that of your comrades.The Marine did the right thing.

[Greg]

Just in case anyone would like to read the eyewitness account of what happened from the reporter who shot the footage: Kevin Site's blog. It's a bit more informative than third party inflamatory reactions.

[adrian]

American Soldier responds to Kevin Site's blog with an open letter.