Kill 24 people, Get three months in Jail. God Bless America.

[Darth_Dude]

So the last man in in Haditha Massacre has just pleaded guilty. If you're not familiar with it, it's a massacre that took place in 2005 when US Marines, after the death on one of their own, went on a revenge killing, and murdered 25 Iraqi's, including 10 women and a child.

Considering that 8 other marines have been cleared of these charges, and this latest one is only getting 3 months, essentially nothing, this is just sickening. The evidence is pretty clear, the people killed weren't terrorists but innocent civilians and no weapons were found on them, and "Six people were killed in one house, most shot in the head, including women and children huddled in a bedroom."

This is screwed up. An American can kill another American citizen and he can get life in prison.

But when an American kills 24 Iraqi's all he get's is "three months of confinement, forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay for three months and a reduction in rank when he is sentenced, a base spokesman said."?!!! Not even counting the 8 other soldiers that were Acquitted.

I know I'm coming off as a rabid anti-American, but seriously, Fuck You America (Not all of you!) Great Job guys.

Sources:

Spoiler

http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/sns-la-plea-bargain-reached-to-end-marine-trial-in-iraqi-killings,0,2556676.story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-24/marine-pleads-guilty-over-iraq-killings/3789230
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/23/us-marine-haditha-idUSTRE80M1U620120123
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/01/2012123204949434335.html

Discussion: What do my fellow Escapists think of the sentencing and the whole case in general?

UPDATE: Apparently, this bastard isnt going to serve any prison time, but instead is only being demoted to Private. Great, So the lives of 24 Iraqi's are officially worth nothing. And people wonder why America is hated...

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

There must be more to it than this.

There must have been a decent argument, something to cast doubt on the events.

They must have decided the marines made a terrible mistake. Something to be punished for yes, but not the same as intentional murder.

Okay...reading up, well it says that a bomb had just gone off and somebody was shooting at them and they didnt know where from. Im not going to judge these guys. They could have paniced from the and we will never know all the facts. Its not easy to make the right choice every time in a combat situation.

 

[Darth_Dude]

There must be more to it than this.

There must have been a decent argument, something to cast doubt on the events.

They must have decided the marines made a terrible mistake. Something to be punished for yes, but not the same as intentional murder.

Okay...reading up, well it says that a bomb had just gone off and somebody was shooting at them and they didnt know where from. Im not going to judge these guys. They could have paniced from the and we will never know all the facts. Its not easy to make the right choice every time in a combat situation.

But how can you justify ""Six people were killed in one house, most shot in the head, including women and children huddled in a bedroom.""

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

There must be more to it than this.

There must have been a decent argument, something to cast doubt on the events.

They must have decided the marines made a terrible mistake. Something to be punished for yes, but not the same as intentional murder.

Okay...reading up, well it says that a bomb had just gone off and somebody was shooting at them and they didnt know where from. Im not going to judge these guys. They could have paniced from the and we will never know all the facts. Its not easy to make the right choice every time in a combat situation.

But how can you justify ""Six people were killed in one house, most shot in the head, including women and children huddled in a bedroom.""

Dunno, wasnt there. Maybe they were sweeping rooms so fast they didnt take the time to check their targets? Not that I know what its like to be a soldier.

But I do find it hard to believe only one guy would get three months if there was some evidence these guys actually intentionally commited murder.

They could have been pumped up on adrenaline and disorientated by the explosion that just went off.

 

[Muspelheim]

It's little wonder the insurgent-groups never seem to have a shortage of eager new recruits...

Honestly, this is the sort of thing you'd expect to hear from Warsaw '44.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Although it's obviously a terrible thing, I have some sympathy for people who end up killing indiscriminantly after losing a squad member to a bomb and being fired upon.

Put me in that situation, and I can't promise you I wouldn't end up killing everyone I came across.

You stick troops in a warzone with lots of civilians around to fight an enemy they can't get to grips with...this is going to happen, you can't do much to stop it.

 

[GrimTuesday]

He should be tried for war crimes is what should happen to him. I don't care what the circumstances were, he is responsible for those deaths and he and every one of the people who were party to that slaughter should server at least 20 years in jail, and that's letting them off light, as if they did that outside a war zone, they would be tired for each individual murder they committed. The military protects its own, and this is just another example of that. This is coming from an American by the way.

 

[Skin]

Well done America. Well done. Never cease to amaze me.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Firstly, the one guy pleaded Guilty, meaning his sentence was already going to be lighter then it normally would be. Yes, what these marines did is horrible. But the courts had their ruling, and we must abide by it. If he had plead not guilty, then yes, I would want him tried for war crimes. But no, he plead guilty, and therefor, cannot be tried a maximum Sentence.

 

[manic_depressive13]

This is so disgusting it makes me feel physically ill. Fuck America and anyone who thinks this is acceptable.

 

[BlazeRaider]

I don't think these guys get that behaviour like this makes their job harder. Those 24 civilians they killed will almost certainly be the act that pulls hundreds or perhaps thousands of would-be neutral or pro-coalition arabs over to insurgency. Honestly as a Canadian I wish we would pull out and leave the US to screw up on its own, helping an ally is good and all, but its been over a decade, and apparently the US military both on the ground and in command have no intention of ending the fighting given the amount of trouble they keep causing.

 

[wooty]

Hmmmm, I guess it was just good timing to pull this sentence out of the air once the troops are out of the country. No possibility of revenge attacks on troops now, let the Iraqis die has always been the plan.

 

[Avaholic03]

Yes yes, fuck America and death to the infadels and all that.

Wow, you people act as if no other countries commit attrocities during war. I'm not saying that's a justification or anything, but seriously, war is hell. Lots of people do things they regret, and I guarantee this isn't even the worst incident. But until you're in the situation that those soldiers were in, I don't think you can sit behind your computer and judge their actions. I bet at least some people here would have done the same thing in the same situation.

 

[Sandytimeman]

Honestly as a Canadian I wish we would pull out and leave the US to screw up on its own, helping an ally is good and all, but its been over a decade, and apparently the US military both on the ground and in command have no intention of ending the fighting given the amount of trouble they keep causing.

Hey, lets not judge everyone in the military the same please. My Dad is a Warrant Officer and he has never gone into a building and murdered innocent people. He also isn't trying to extend his service or the war.

I mean seriously could you paint the picture with a broader mono-colored brush please? >.> /pif

 

[Guffe]

Ain't this just perfect.
Human rights and whatnot, apparently the way the American (USA) government looks at it is that one Soldiers life is many many many times more valuable than 24 foreigners.
And not only that but what about "the laws of war" that almost every country has signed...
Breaking the law, yes it's war but women and children, whom were unarmed?

 

[Akimoto]

It's well known that the american military can do whatever the fuck it wants.

That's all she wrote

Yes yes, fuck America and death to the infadels and all that.

Wow, you people act as if no other countries commit attrocities during war. I'm not saying that's a justification or anything, but seriously, war is hell. Lots of people do things they regret, and I guarantee this isn't even the worst incident. But until you're in the situation that those soldiers were in, I don't think you can sit behind your computer and judge their actions. I bet at least some people here would have done the same thing in the same situation.

I agree with you, but the general public will never accept that, and we should never let it be an excuse. These Marines are supposed to be highly trained and they have a motto to upkeep - ?Honor, Courage, Commitment?. Let me point you to a link --> http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/in-urination-video-behavior-unbecoming-a-marine/?scp=1&sq=marine&st=cse

Still, it takes two hands to clap - one hand clapping is a slap. This might be a sad example of culture clash. I won't be surprised if build up of stress led to the shooting. It's been overdue to pull out and let the locals solve their own problems.