CNN's "Killings at the Canal"

[Gabriel]

Here's a link to the CNN preview video.

And here's a link to a short article/blog post on the story.

It's pretty clear that these soldiers did their jobs - they killed the enemy. Yet the ridiculous "rules" and "laws" of combat have put three American soldiers in jail for forty years. Their crimes? First-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. This is a perfect example of the insanity of this war. Enemies are captured on the battlefield, then released due to "lack of evidence" only to end up on the battlefield killing and injuring more American soldiers! The enemy is also aware of these ridiculous rules and exploit them. Imagine - killing terrorists has now become a crime.

[M.Dancer]

It's pretty clear that these soldiers did their jobs - they killed the enemy.

Notwithstanding that the rules of evidence may be overly strict, it is apparent that they did not do their job.

A soldier's job does not include being judge, jury and executioner nor does it include simple murder.

He's the former first sergeant who had the idea to take four Iraqi detainees to a Baghdad canal and, along with two other sergeants, kill them.

[Gabriel]

Notwithstanding that the rules of evidence may be overly strict, it is apparent that they did not do their job.

A soldier's job does not include being judge, jury and executioner nor does it include simple murder.

Think of Saving Private Ryan. The animals just end up on the battlefield the next day. I can't believe they even take prisoners. They had a choice to make and they made it - kill the enemy (that's their job! or at least it should be!) or let the enemy go and let him get another chance (and another chance, and another chance...) to try and kill American soldiers.

[M.Dancer]

Think of Saving Private Ryan.

Yeah, very good movie.

Nothing to do with the topic, but a very good movie.

[Gabriel]

Yeah, very good movie.

Nothing to do with the topic, but a very good movie.

You don't remember the release of the German prisoner who ends up killing the Jewish soldier (played by Adam Goldberg) towards the end of the movie? It illustrated the common trend of recycling released prisoners of war. Regardless, the killing of these terrorists SAVED LIVES. And now we punish the heroes for doing the right thing. It is insanity.

[Melanie_]

How do you feel about Iraqi soldiers killing American troops in cold blood? If you would condemn an Iraqi soldier for doing it, you must also condemn an American soldier for doing it.

[M.Dancer]

And now we punish the heroes for doing the right thing. It is insanity.

It wasn't the right thing. This I believe has been determined in a court.

[Gabriel]

How do you feel about Iraqi soldiers killing American troops in cold blood? If you would condemn an Iraqi soldier for doing it, you must also condemn an American soldier for doing it.

Iraqi soldiers are to be condemned for simply being Iraqi soldiers. That being said, there aren't anymore Iraqi soldiers fighting against America, anymore. There haven't been for years. It's all terrorists, now. Suicide bombings and IEDs. If you fight in support of tyranny and evil everything you do is condemnable. I know people like you draw moral equivalence between us and our enemies. So don't let me stop you from doing that and going down your usual path.

A Nazi soldier is automatically a criminal simply for fighting in support of evil. No ifs ands or buts. Same applies for terrorists. Call it a double standard, if you want. I'm not going to hide my full support for our own cause and extend morality or sympathy to our enemies.

If you're so concerned about soldiers killing our enemies (oh, those poor talibanistan terrorists!), then you should support changes to the laws that wouldn't require so much "evidence" in order to hold enemy combatants in custody instead of releasing them within a few days to attack more of our soldiers and conduct more terrorism against civilians.

[Peter F]

Regardless, the killing of these terrorists SAVED LIVES. And now we punish the heroes for doing the right thing. It is insanity.

Murder of prisoners is never the right thing.

[Melanie_]

Gabriel - Who exactly are people like me? You are making a pretty big assumption if you are categorizing me by simply reading one of my posts.

I have no sympathy for terrorists, and no desire to see American (or Canadian) soldiers turn into terrorists themselves. You seem to be saying that evil depends on who is doing it - this is moral relativism.

Edited November 17, 2009 by Melanie_

[Gabriel]

Murder of prisoners is never the right thing.

Release of terrorists is never the right thing.

Putting the lives of our soldiers AT RISK in order to uphold some ridiculous value of human life for SUBHUMANS is never the right thing. These are the same trash that marry off their daughters at age 12. The same trash that blow up busy bazaars. The same trash that honour kill their sisters because they were raped in order to defend their tribal honour. The same trash that want to establish and rigid Islamic state across the land. Why are we so afraid to recognize that these enemies of ours are barbarians and not worthy of compassion?

The bottom line is that soldiers are being punished, INCARCERATED FOR FORTY YEARS ON MURDER CHARGES, because they SAVED LIVES. This is insanity.

[M.Dancer]

Iraqi soldiers are to be condemned for simply being Iraqi soldiers.

No it doesn't work that way

[quote name='Gabriel' date='17 November 2009 - 04:53 PM'

A Nazi soldier is automatically a criminal simply for fighting in support of evil..

Again, no they weren't. No Soldier of the Thrid Reich was ever charged simply for being a soldier.

Clearly you are emoting while ignoring tradition, history and law and there is nothing more to be said on the subject.

Edited November 18, 2009 by M.Dancer

[NebulaStardust]

Here's a link to the CNN preview video.

And here's a link to a short article/blog post on the story.

It's pretty clear that these soldiers did their jobs - they killed the enemy. Yet the ridiculous "rules" and "laws" of combat have put three American soldiers in jail for forty years. Their crimes? First-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. This is a perfect example of the insanity of this war. Enemies are captured on the battlefield, then released due to "lack of evidence" only to end up on the battlefield killing and injuring more American soldiers! The enemy is also aware of these ridiculous rules and exploit them. Imagine - killing terrorists has now become a crime.

It's very clear that this was an act of premeditated murder. There is absolutely no question that these executions by these soldiers was wrong. Why couldn't these soldiers make the right decisions here? Were they so full of themselves for being American soldiers that they though they were above the law? I few very sorry for these soldiers and the real pity is that they were so ill informed that they didn't immediately recognize the laws they were breaking. Unfortunately, for them, they had a lying president that probably led them to blieve they could do as they liked. It's so sad that the ramifications of the Nuremberg Trials' and the Japan Tribunals' findings weren't drilled into the minds of these mixed up men.

[Peter F]

Putting the lives of our soldiers AT RISK in order to uphold some ridiculous value of human life for SUBHUMANS is never the right thing.

I see. How frustrating it must be for you to see the US military punish troops for Murdering folks determined by thier own superiors to be non-detainable. However, it is a good thing that troops are punished for ignoring their own commanders and execute Iraqi's at will. Military law holds that murdering prisoners is not a noble act, but vile and dispicable. If the idea is to encourage terrorists to give up the fight then one must not kill those that do give up the fight. To execute prisoners is to inform the enemy that surrender offers no hope. Capture means death. Such an attitude is detrimental to the cause. To allow soldiers to execute whoever they feel deserves execution is to allow the soldiers to be terrorists themselves. You may consider that a grand idea, I don't and unfortunately for you the US Military disagree's with your position. Somehow you are going to have to learn to live with that - or not - as you will.

These are the same trash that marry off their daughters at age 12. The same trash that blow up busy bazaars. The same trash that honour kill their sisters because they were raped in order to defend their tribal honour.

Really? How many of the murdered married off thier daughters? Was that the reason the NCO's put a bullet in the prisoners skulls? Did any of the murdered prisoners kill thier sisters? Did any of the murdered prisoners want to establish a rigid islamic state across the land? Can you provide any link to back up any of your charges?

Why are we so afraid to recognize that these enemies of ours are barbarians and not worthy of compassion?

The soldiers crime wasn't being compassionate or lacking compassion : The crime they were found guilty of is Murder.

The bottom line is that soldiers are being punished, INCARCERATED FOR FORTY YEARS ON MURDER CHARGES, because they SAVED LIVES. This is insanity.

No, its Sanity.

Edited November 17, 2009 by Peter F