Unarmed And Wounded POW Shot In The Head

[Yerda]

NOT an attack on the war, the reasons, the lies, or Mr. Bush.

The Geneva Convention is nothing more than paper for wiping your *** on to the coalition forces. Regardless of your political stance this is f***ing barbaric and action must be taken, people who care about the lives and liberties of the weak should surely stand.

Here's a link to a video of the act: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7296.htm

In case some snotty racist gimp wants to point out the beheadings of western citizens, don't bother you're shirt. I fully realize that these horrible murders were commited by unacountable, undemocratic, and wholly unreasonable organizations; all of which our disgusting forces are not supposed to be.

Of course the rebel fighters keeping Iraq in turmoil will be glad to lay down their arms now that they can expect to be shot anyway.

 

[Dr. Nosophoros]

There are supposed rules of war and of course the Geneva convention, but with all of the outrage you seem to show you seem to leave out one important fact, the soldier that did it will most likely be brought up on charges, possibly court martialled and might be sent to a military prison because his action goes against the core teachings of the same "barbarians" military code of conduct (UCMJ).

I served in the military myself in an infantry unit (A Co. 1/41) in the first Gulf War in '91 but it was nothing like what these soldiers are seeing now. IMO, the soldier that shot the prisoner was just unlucky and got caught on tape killing the prisoner, now the very same people that created the situation and sent him into it will be the ones that fry him for doing what he felt (and probably was) a necessary action. What I found most telling about the whole situation in that area was a comment made by a soldier on the ground in the middle of it, he said basically the military was having them clear out areas and many of the wounded enemy were given medical treatment but then their units would move on.

There may have been elements from the rear coming up to collect wounded prisoners but if a resistance fighter wants to continue resisting he can simply get up ( if he is capable) and leave the area when the troops leave and hole up with friendly civilians. The resistance fighter that is shot up and given a bandage today may very well be the same resistance fighter that sets the next roadside bomb, shoots an RPG at a vehicle and kills more U.S. soldiers the next week, or month. From what I understand about Viet Nam, that is sometimes exactly what happened when they treated wounded VC and left them. What do you do?

We can view war as much as we want with "political correctness", but it doesn't change the nature of it, the enemy has to die or give up for you to win.

 

[huajiro]

If the soldier did something wrong, he will be charged. Both sides are doing this, that is why we should avoid war. War is hell!!!! The only people that really have any opinion on war are people who have been through it, the rest of us know nothing.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Because I *really* don't want to see the video, does this mean that one of the US soldiers shot an unarmed person? Or vice versa?

 

[Druidus]

I couldn't see the video. But I saw some of the others. Apparently, it's quite common for unarmed prisoners to be shot... Looking at some of the comments, however, leads me to believe that the world is more racist than I thought.

 

[HelpMe]

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7361.htm

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2319.htm

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3995.htm

interesting

 

[Davidium]

I saw the video, and I was a soldier...

The soldier who fired used poor situational judgement, but I do not think he violated the Geneva convention. This individual was not a POW yet. He had not been taken into custody. They were in the process of taking him into custody. In the soldiers mind, the individual was "feigning death" and then moved suddenly. As far as that soldier knew, he was releasing the pin on a grenade or pulling a weapon.

If the soldier, in his mind, thought the individual represented a threat, then he was justified in firing. War is hell. You must judge a soldiers actions from his own perspective. From that perspective, the actions the soldier took were poorly conceived, but not a violation of the Rules of Engagement, the UCMJ, or the Geneva convention.

However, "feigning death" is a violation of the Geneva Convention...

Bad things happen in war. The Geneva conventions recognize this. "Good Faith" mistakes generally do not violate the convention. I believe this soldier made a "Good Faith" mistake. He thought the "feigning of Death" and the sudden movement of the enemy soldier represented a threat to himself and to his comrades. He misjudged the situation, just as a police officer who shoots someone who he thinks has a gun, only to later find that the individual was reaching for his wallet. Bad judgement, but not a crime.

Reason and Respect in all you say and do,

David Pyle

 

[kreeden]

What happened was wrong , no matter what spin you put on it . However , I have always been amused that people think that you can put a person into a war situtation and that everything will be nice and " by the rules ". Think about it people . When it happens on either side .

 

[Davidium]

What happened was wrong , no matter what spin you put on it . However , I have always been amused that people think that you can put a person into a war situtation and that everything will be nice and " by the rules ". Think about it people . When it happens on either side .

You are right about one thing... War is a messy business, and the standards we set for our daily lives cannot be applied to such.

Reason and Respect in all you say and do,

David Pyle