Carriage/Miscarriage of Justice - you decide

Two articles from two sources - same story in both, but a different slant from both in my opinion. Any comments/suggestions how this "compares" to the Marine action(s) in the urination video?

http://www.stripes.com/news/marine-charged-in-deaths-of-24-iraqis-makes-plea-deal-1.166605
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/23/u-s-soldier-accused-of-killings-of-24-iraqi-civilians-reaches-plea-deal/

Another assessment, longer and more detailed. I believe this one is well written and covers more regarding the stress our military personnel are under in situations like these:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/world/middleeast/united-states-marines-haditha-interviews-found-in-iraq-junkyard.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

I emphatically do NOT condone what happened (civilian casualties). I'm a vet, but by the same token, I do NOT even come close to pretending I'll ever know what it's like to be in combat. Some of my best buddies from high school came back from Nam really messed up, both physically and emotionally. I lost a cousin on a riverboat/gunboat he was serving on that was blown to bits in Nam. I've seen the scars - I have not experienced them like combat vets have. The old saying, "never judge another person until you have walked a mile in their shoes" definitely applies here in my very humble opinion.

One doesn't need to molest children to judge a pedophile...

Soulshiner wrote: One doesn't need to molest children to judge a pedophile...

Not even close to being the same situation. Two totally different worlds.

Soulshiner wrote: One doesn't need to molest children to judge a pedophile...

No, one doesn't ("need to molest children to judge a pedophile"). But, and this is a very big but, how does your example relate to a combat situation? I'm really trying to see the "logic" of your post, but am having difficulty with it. To compare a pedophile with soldiers in combat just does not compute for me - two totally different scenarios. That being said, I believe (my opinion) once anyone becomes even a suspect for pedophilia, that person is "judged" - right or wrong - as being guilty in the court of public opinion and will forever carry that stigma regardless of whether or not charges are ever brought much less prosecuted. Likewise, because our young men and women soldiers are being subjected to heavy public scrutiny in their efforts to carry out their orders, if something does go awry, they, too, will be judged guilty in the court of public opinion regardless of the outcome of any investigation and/or court martial. So, and I state again, "never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes". I stand by that statement with regard to our military personnel. I remember vividly how military personnel were almost universally reviled during the Vietnam War era once public opinion turned against the war effort. In fact, I was actually spat upon by people in a passing vehicle, and I can't tell you how many times I was challenged to fights just because I wore the uniform. I thought we'd gotten past that sort of behavior for the men and women in uniform. Again, I emphatically do NOT condone the killing of innocent civilians. I do, however, try very hard to get as many facts about a situation as I can before I posit a personal opinion - something you may want to consider doing, as well.

zhawke wrote: Two articles from two sources - same story in both, but a different slant from both in my opinion. Any comments/suggestions how this "compares" to the Marine action(s) in the urination video?

http://www.stripes.com/news/marine-charged-in-deaths-of-24-iraqis-makes-plea-deal-1.166605
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/23/u-s-soldier-accused-of-killings-of-24-iraqi-civilians-reaches-plea-deal/

Z, I do not know, I was not there or ever in that kind of situation. I suspect there was an element of political necessity in it but I do not know. I am OK with the fact that they were judged by combat vets. That is my prefered outcome for the pee'ers if it goes that far.

As I said on another thread everyone is entitled to have and express and opinion but if you have not been there your opinion is poop.

As I said on another thread, I don't have to have "been there" to know despicable behavior when I see it...And I don't need your validation of my opinion.

Judged by the military? One of the most political units in our country? I truly do not have a lot of faith in their impartiality.

However, I wasn't there, I didn't serve, I've never seen combat, I've never had to determine if civilians are the enemy, so I have no opinion on that part.

It does look like he lost control of his squad but troops going bezerk has been going on forever. It doesn't excuse their acts but I would judge them less harshly. And I think the punishment for the sarge is about right.

2wlady wrote: Judged by the military? One of the most political units in our country? I truly do not have a lot of faith in their impartiality.

However, I wasn't there, I didn't serve, I've never seen combat, I've never had to determine if civilians are the enemy, so I have no opinion on that part.

I would love to see your proof of the military being political. I was in the military for 20 years and I did not see it except of those in Washington and those in Charge of the fleets etc, only cause they had to be because of the political idiots in Washington forcing it onto them.

also Thank you.