Royal Marine Sgt Guilty of murder

[Arkwright]

So our superb justice system has found a RM Sgt guilty of murder for shooting a wounded taliban. OK I think this guy and his mates are pratts for keeping a film of it but how come we never find our wounded soldiers alive after their capture? Do the taliban fight to the Geneva convention? How can we send our soldiers into a situation like that and fail to give them our full support? Yes I know he's wrong but I really think that the system of us being whiter than white needs to be reviewed. I am sure none of us really understand the pressure and stress these soldiers are under, they don't need this additional burden hanging over them in the event they make a wrong decision.

i suppose there will be a big hunt on to identify this victim so we can rush and pay his family £000's in compensation.

What do you think? Should Sgt A be found guilty? and should we continue to wash our dirty laundry in public.

 

[Lexx]

Yes he was guilty.
War has rules. He broke them.
Yes, I know the favour probably wouldn't be returned. But we are a supposed civilised and respectable nation. If we reduce ourselves to on the spot executions then sure we make ourselves no better than those we are saying are the bad guys.

But. This should have all been done behind closed doors as a court martial.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Derek two wrongs don't make a right.

The video is sickening - to hear our soldier laughing about shooting the guy is terrible.

If the guy was so badly injured that he was suffering, in great pain and they shot him and did it for humane reasons that's another matter.

I'm sure any soldier can get so high on adrenalin and euphoric after surviving an attach that they might lose their mental balance when coming across a person who was trying to kill him. For this the punishment perhaps should be adjusted to a shorter term.

I just didn't like the way he thought it was fun.

 

[Mrs HollowPoint]

It's a hard one to answer. There has been enough leakage of SOME gun happy hick American soldiers out there that makes this unleaked video of events pale in comparison, but you don't see individual soldiers raked over the coals for it in the US like this has been here.

There is a fundamental difference between here and there though. Americans are bred and brainwashed to love their country, and we are bred to hate our own. We are in a place that pours more money into OTHER countries, cultures and protecting terrorist individuals than it does on cultivating it's own natives.

Nothing is aired in public media without an ulterior motive so is this just the first in preparation to show us we have failed?, to lose on a moral high ground?, moral high ground in a WAR situation?!!??
If I wounded an enemy that is intent on killing me, I wouldnt allow him to get better and live to kill me another day either... the conversation between soldiers who have been living in a life threatening situation and had been under extreme duress is immaterial.

I agree that it should have been done behind closed doors too.

 

[red baron]

terrorist do not have rights they are scum he should be given a medal one less terrorist to kill british soldiers look at the injured who have lost limbs they are fighting to protect us from those scum

 

[Mr HollowPoint]

On the one hand, we're in their country, fighting them because we say their moral compass is off. So to then go and break our own, is somewhat hypocritical. I agree with both sides of the comments here, in war we need to stand tall and be the better side, but this isn't really a war now is it?

This is one of these modern wars, where we go to a foreign country and fight the people who live there, because we say they're doing it wrong. Now baring that in mind, when people come here and try to fight us, saying we do it wrong, what do we do? How do we react?

There's also the point that we seem to have this rule, that our enemies are allowed to live, get better and be released to fight us again, that doesn't sound like a good idea to me either. I personally do not think he should have been convicted of murder, as to expect a soldier to act rationally in a situation like that, with adrenaline running high, staring at a guy he knows would kill him as soon as look at him, without feeling a moments remorse, is expecting too much.

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

Its not an argument I'm going to get into but the facts are all there and I think it was the right outcome and the only sensible one, He'll get a reduced 5-7 years for it.

If we operate by the same standards they do then we're no better, saying that we've done just fine over the past few hundred years with our double standards.

We shouldn't really be there anyway.

 

[STEVE BURNS]

Its not an argument I'm going to get into but the facts are all there and I think it was the right outcome and the only sensible one, He'll get a reduced 5-7 years for it.

If we operate by the same standards they do then we're no better, saying that we've done just fine over the past few hundred years with our double standards.

We shouldn't really be there anyway.

Agree with all the above 100%
We only have heard over the years what the powers that be have wanted us to hear

 

[red baron]

the soldier who bought my vert hes just come back from there if you spoke to him it wood open your eyes he is on the 300zx club site his angle is toolbox trev he has seen a lot and fought in several wars i would not like his job knowing and seen and all for what queen and country and not a lot of pay dont see school teachers dying loosing limbs just hear them pining on poor pay and pensions stick them out there real life not pampered

 

[Gaz 300]

Being a young soldier in the darkest days on Northern Ireland's troubles I can where these Royal Marines are coming from and seeing your mates shoot. blown up and even tortured you would have no hesitation in taking out your enemy even if they were wounded and sad to say even I would of back then if the circumstances was right.BUT it is wrong and if caught you should be court-martialed and sent to court.
Also having done joint patrols with most of the British Regiments at that time two Regiments stick out as being trained different in there fighting strategy the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines they are front line soldiers and you dont mess with them,

This is just my opinion from someone who has been there but on this day we need to remember the fallen so today please do give a little time to those who give there all.

 

[Mr HollowPoint]

You know what Gary, for once you and I are in complete agreement and I can't think of anything better to agree on. Well said.

 

[Gaz 300]

You know what Gary, for once you and I are in complete agreement and I can't think of anything better to agree on. Well said.

Appreciate your post Alex and the next time we meet talk to me as we have a lot in common and need to go forward.

 

[STEVE BURNS]

Saw this, this morning and really got emotional over it