A rogue US soldier has shot dead 16 Afghan civilians

[4Qman]

Could he get the death penalty for that?

I would assume he falls under US jurisdiction and will most likely be returned to the US and deemed unfit to trail due to medical grounds.

If this man is legitimately sick then the US military will have a responsibility to treat him correctly. This is another indication of the stress/pressure that these soldiers are under.

Whether he was sick or not or simply did this out of hatred needs to be investigated.

The only outcome this will have is even more hatred and support for the Taliban against ISAF.

 

[RadoX]

what do you think happens if the base comes under attack and no one has any ammo?

You would have ammo in seconds as the people tasked to guarding it would allow you to use it. Or better still let everyone have ammo and just have 2 people watching the room there sleeping in. Simply no need for things like this to happen if the a correct protocol is put into practice.

 

[albert]

Look at all the American Friendly fire incidents that's happened ... were they ever tried for killing our boys?

 

[dowie]

Could he get the death penalty for that?

could - though the US has a habit of doing these sorts of things and previously the soldiers/marines involved have either got off scot free or had rather short sentences...

 

[4Qman]

You would have ammo in seconds as the people tasked to guarding it would allow you to use it. Or better still let everyone have ammo and just have 2 people watching the room there sleeping in. Simply no need for things like this to happen if the a correct protocol is put into practice.

In an established secure compound weapons will most the time be secured in an armoury but in small compounds your keep ownership. There is also many many many other times when you keep hold of your weapons, missions, training, guard duty. The idea of having two people watching your room is not possible, some of these camps have accommodation for a handful of guys. The people doing guard are on the front gate and perimeter of the base and watching somebody rooms is not needed. Unless of course you think he is about to leave the camp and shoot civilians

The issue is not allowing somebody to keep hold of their weapons. The issue is the environment, hatred towards Americans along with the hatred that American soldiers have towards locals through loosing comrades. You mix them all up inside a soldiers head and after time you will get one of them pop....

Look at all the American Friendly fire incidents that's happened ... were they ever tried for killing our boys?

This is vastly different from a combat mission but i agree along your lines. The American military will defend him if he is sick, it is their responsibility to do so.

But was he mentally ill......

 

[Art]

The American military will defend him if he is sick, it is their responsibility to do so.

But was he mentally ill......

I know they do this, but I've never understood how it is allowed to fly. The Guardian article on this says the guy had a breakdown not long before carrying out the murders. If you're mentally ill and/or have recently had a breakdown, why are you still allowed access to a weapon? Surely people going through severe mental and emotional problems aren't really fit to make life-or-death decisions for themselves, their comrades or the people they're supposed to be protecting, so why were they allowed to keep hold of their firearms?

 

[Fran]

Unfortunate that he is going to be hung out to dry just to placate a few sock puppets when we have probably put him under intolerable pressure.

I think on our side the duty rotations are above what they should be and to see your colleagues getting maimed by an unseen enemy must be unimaginable.

Lots of self important fuss, which will conveniently ignore what would happen if we were not there and the Taliban took control.

 

[scorza]

The US will never let their soldiers be tried under the Afghan justice system, it's always through US courts.
That said, the US will not let this soldier be let off free - his actions have basically rendered the whole US-Afghan relationship and all the US efforts to get 'hearts and minds' of the last few years utterly meaningless.

Make no mistake, this and the Koran incident is a massive, massive step back in relations between host and guests.

Yet if the Taliban killed 16 Afghan civilians no-one would be bothered in the slightest. Sad to say that the burning of the Korans is seen as the bigger crime here, just goes to show what a messed up country Afghanistan is.

 

[RadoX]

In an established secure compound weapons will most the time be secured in an armoury but in small compounds your keep ownership. There is also many many many other times when you keep hold of your weapons, missions, training, guard duty. The idea of having two people watching your room is not possible, some of these camps have accommodation for a handful of guys. The people doing guard are on the front gate and perimeter of the base and watching somebody rooms is not needed. Unless of course you think he is about to leave the camp and shoot civilians

The issue is not allowing somebody to keep hold of their weapons. The issue is the environment, hatred towards Americans along with the hatred that American soldiers have towards locals through loosing comrades. You mix them all up inside a soldiers head and after time you will get one of them pop....




This is vastly different from a combat mission but i agree along your lines. The American military will defend him if he is sick, it is their responsibility to do so.

But was he mentally ill......

I see there is protocol in place then to stop things like this happening. Guess he was just lucky and went out without anyone noticing.

 

[4Qman]

I know they do this, but I've never understood how it is allowed to fly. The Guardian article on this says the guy had a breakdown not long before carrying out the murders. If you're mentally ill and/or have recently had a breakdown, why are you still allowed access to a weapon? Surely people going through severe mental and emotional problems aren't really fit to make life-or-death decisions for themselves, their comrades or the people they're supposed to be protecting, so why were they allowed to keep hold of their firearms?

There are too many scenarios to consider on the information we have at this time. It may have not been his weapon, unless he was escorted everywhere then this also gives him room to gain weapons as it looks like he was a staff sergeant, giving him more options to obtain weapons through his rank.

Its a mess that is going to send Afghan into eruption, this is beyond bad and the effects are going to be felt thought the country.

 

[Justintime]

Unfortunate that he is going to be hung out to dry just to placate a few sock puppets when we have probably put him under intolerable pressure.

.

Yea poor fella, he only killed 16 worthless mud people right?

 

[steve45]

You would have ammo in seconds as the people tasked to guarding it would allow you to use it. Or better still let everyone have ammo and just have 2 people watching the room there sleeping in. Simply no need for things like this to happen if the a correct protocol is put into practice.

wouldnt work, not sure how the yanks work it, but i had my weapon, ammunition and body armour with me at all times. what you have to understand is that the threat dosnt always come from outside the FOB/PB.
there not going to waste manpower babysitting trained squaddies.

the failing here is in his mates and CoC, not how ammunition is stored... someone should have picked up on the changes in behaviour etc leading up to the incident

 

[Art]

There are too many scenarios to consider on the information we have at this time.

I'd agree about that, I was more talking in general. Seems to be that every time an extra-judicial killing happens the old "mental instability" argument is rolled out in defence of the accused.

 

[Arnie]

Yea poor fella, he only killed 16 worthless mud people right?

He killed the sand people and even the younglings.

 

[dowie]

I see there is protocol in place then to stop things like this happening. Guess he was just lucky and went out without anyone noticing.

Could have been Afgan guys on the gate - they're not necessarily going to stop him.

 

[Muzza1875]

If you're mentally ill and/or have recently had a breakdown, why are you still allowed access to a weapon?

If you are mentally ill or have recently had a breakdown why are you still allowed to be serving in a war zone?

 

[King Damager]

Not really surprising, someone was bound to snap at some point...

kd

 

[RadoX]

wouldnt work, not sure how the yanks work it, but i had my weapon, ammunition and body armour with me at all times. what you have to understand is that the threat dosnt always come from outside the FOB/PB.
there not going to waste manpower babysitting trained squaddies.

the failing here is in his mates and CoC, not how ammunition is stored... someone should have picked up on the changes in behaviour etc leading up to the incident

I'm presuming no matter where you are someone will be watching to stop you from getting attacked or to wake you all up if you do come under attack. How come this person didn't say anything to someone walking off with a loaded gun. Unless he was the person watching. Im presuming for this very reason there will be more than one person watching.

 

[Danthus]

Right as we speak several American flags are being soaked in petrol.

 

[dowie]

Right as we speak several American flags are being soaked in petrol.

That will teach 'em.