U.S. Officers Executed Iraqis, Statements Say

U.S. Officers Executed Iraqis, Statements Say

www.nytimes.com

In March or April 2007, three noncommissioned United States Army officers, including a first sergeant, a platoon sergeant and a senior medic, killed four Iraqi prisoners with pistol shots to the head as the men stood handcuffed and blindfolded beside a Baghdad canal, two of the soldiers said in sworn statements.

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I have 2 reasons for posting this:

1. Though I consider myself a US patriot, I do not always agree with everything the government or the US military does.

2. I have experienced the combat fog of war so my heart goes out to these 3 noncoms and their families, and the families of the ones executed.

Though this may seem on the surface to be justifiable, even in a combat life or death situation, we are still all a pert of the human race. There is no honor in this type of action and I hope that the young men involved continue to do the best in their ability to mmake amends.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I hope they rot in prison for murder. If any civilian in the US does this to another person. It is called murder. There is no sympathy to be felt for them. They are murdering scumbags wearing a uniform they don't deserve to wear.

But I applaud your sensitivity to this with respect to your approach.

This is the kinda thing these people KNOW will make the environment more bitter toward the US in Iraq. It is the kind of thing that transform a sidelines citizen into a guerrilla fighter. With this action they have further place the bullseye on their fellow soldiers and countrymen. The consequences go much further than the deaths of four Iraqis, and the effects on the families alone.

They knew right from wrong, they knew the rules. They made their beds and they can sleep in them. I hope the memory of committing murder haunts the for the remainder of their days.

reply to post by projectvxn
Thanks for your response and the kind words.

Though I do not completely disagree with your assessment, I know and sympathize with a reaction made during combat that you afterward regret.

Regardless of a political difference as to why or how we even have military and civilian citizens in Iraq, you have to have some understanding of the adrenaline rage that occurs in combat especially when you lose friends. It is very difficult to just turn it off and resume normal publically acceptable behavior.

I hear ya. I have a brother in Iraq. He knows the rules, and I'm sure he gets hyped up. But he's responsible. Your training ensures you know what the hell is going on.

And I'm no stranger to being on the receiving end of gunfire either. Take it from a minority that has spent a lot of time in rough places.

This does not equal to that.

In 60 years time, will Iraqi civillian groups be pursuing US war criminals for their crimes, similar to what the Jews do to the NAZIs today?

Probably not. It makes you wonder why...

If Iraq defeats the USA in a war I think it would happen much sooner than a 60 year process.

This is not a war against a country it is a war being fought in several countries without the benefit of having a central government to persue diplomatic solutions.

This does not excuse murder.

But a comparision to WWII is truly irrelevant and infammatory. IMHO

reply to post by kerontehe

Comparison of WW2, was inflammatory to Vietnam vets too. There are no rules in war, and it isn't possible to live in such a stressful state and not have a temporary loss of control of reason. When dealing death is a daily function that takes precedence over eating and sleeping, and when the one s dealing it back looks the same as everyone else it 's hard to not want to take out the ones that you know are the enemy. I went through hell 40 years ago and I am messed up. I have seen the guys that are coming home from this mess and I wouldn't trade wars with them. I was fortunate in that I wasn't in an area with civilians and I am grateful for that. You won't hear any bravado from me.

reply to post by hypervigilant

Well said.

My father pointed out to me long ago that he would not wish to trade his Korea service for Vit Nam.

One can only hope that my sons will not have a similiar quote about their rapidly approaching military choices.

Originally posted by kerontehe
...I have experienced the combat fog of war ...

Do you often handcuff people DURING combat? The "fog of war" may apply while combat is going on, but certainly not afterwards.

Let me point out the troubling aspects of this:

...with pistol shots to the head as the men stood handcuffed...

That's not "fog of war" that's EXECUTION any way you want to look at it.

Yes, this act was murder. But that is what war is all about, Masses of people committing acts of murder. Is the end result really any different than calling in an artillery mission or air strike in on an enemy unit prior to or after an engagement? Is a sniper to disregard an armed combatant because he doesn't know he's in the snipers sights? A person that is under the influence of sleep deprivation, dehydration, inadequate diet, terror, grief, adrenalin, brainwashing, and anger, times three, is not likely to let what caused this most recent infliction of pain and torment, have a chance to do it again. The actions taken were reactions to an abnormal situation. These kinds of incidents are the reason that so many combat veterans will never be able to readjust to civilian life. The psyche can only handle so much.