US army soldier sentenced to life in prison for murder of Iraqi prisoners

US army soldier sentenced to life in prison for murder of Iraqi prisoners

www.telegraph.co.uk

A jury of eight US army officers and noncommissioned officers handed Master Sgt. John Hatley the sentence on Thursday.

The 40-year-old soldier will also have his rank reduced to private, forfeit all pay and receive a dishonourable discharge.

Hatley was found guilty on Wednesday of premeditated murder and conspiracy in the execution-style killings of the unidentified detainees.

He was found not guilty of premeditated murder in a separate January 2007 incident in which a wounded Iraqi insurgent was shot and killed.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Wether you are a member of the public, a police officer or a serving military operator you are respon sible for your actions...and murder is murder no matter how you write it.

To be on active duty, blindfold someone and shoot them dead must have been so terrifying for the all the victims involved.

Hollywood has a hard time making this stuff up and rel;ies on outside horror writers to help out.

Miss Marple, Poirot and Columbo could only dream of investigating such cases but when these thing trickle into our every day lives then we really do have to take some concern as to who is behind the weapons of choice for those who wish us to remain dominant on this planet.

Even with regards to the English police in the G20 protest, the officers involved in more than 140 individual complaints must be held responsible and accountable.

I hope this ex sergeant takes time to reflect on what he did.

Unfortunately, those who sent him and his men out into a fake war are still getting away with crimes against humanity and for carrying out an illegal invasion.

www.telegraph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Extralien


Sometimes the right outcome happens.
But I think the whole way soldiers are recruited and trainned leads to these crimes taking place. Why did no one stop him?

reply to post by Hagalaz


It can be "difficult" for troops to say or do anything. You spend years of training, living and working with the same people who may/may not be superior to you.

A bond is built. If you countermand a superiors orders, they will find a way to bring you down into submission and on the battlefield you could find yourself shot by your own side because you 'disagree' with a mates actions.. in the heat of a fight, you could become "as bad as the enemy".

It's the same in the police forces, they all watch each others backs and cover each others rear in all that they do. One law for them, another for us....

Reflection of the times. You don't even want to know what Marines did to Japanese soldiers during WWII in the Pacific. I suppose someone had to take the fall, unfortunate.

reply to post by Hagalaz

Sometimes the right outcome happens.

Indeed. There is no excuse for this behaviour. But WestPoint is correct in pointing out, it's a reflection of the times...WWII no one blinks, even WWI at times, answering for this sort of thing is a good thing.

But I think the whole way soldiers are recruited and trainned leads to these crimes taking place.

How they are recruited? They essentially walk in off the street, for the most part. Training? Soldiers are trained to defeat their countries enemies. This resulted from soldiers being tired, and tired of seeing their freinds killed and wounded. Not right, by any stretch of the imagination, yet somewhat understandable. What would you or I do under similar circumstances? I've no idea what I'd do...

Why did no one stop him?

Now that's a very good question. I'd have to guess there was a severe lack of oversite by the commisioned officers in this situation.

reply to post by Extralien



All I can say is this was B.S. They didn't have the bodies to prove that it was "execution" style, and the witness reports were conflicting at best. I do not believe that war crimes or any murders should go unpunished I do believe that they should have to have more than Circumstantial evidence. It is far to easy to put innocent people behind bars now days with almost no proof other than we think he did it.

And yeah WWI WWII Korea Vietnam Afghanistan Columbia Africa all of the places have had atrocities and hardly anyone batted an eye.

Originally posted by freeordie
And yeah WWI WWII Korea Vietnam Afghanistan Columbia Africa all of the places have had atrocities and hardly anyone batted an eye.

But dude... none of those coincided with the "change" that is the Obama administration. I'm sure this plays well with the hyped image of the great savior.

reply to post by WestPoint23


I just hate to see the career and lives of people ruined for B.S. I know it has happened before (the government needing a scape goat) I just hope Obama's feet get held to the fire when the proverbial SHTF.

Originally posted by WestPoint23


But dude... none of those coincided with the "change" that is the Obama administration.

I'm sure this plays well with the hyped image of the great savior.

What does this have to do with Obama?

The guy killed detainees, we don't do that in America. It was wrong and he was punished. You think just because we have committed atrocities in the past, that we are permitted to commit atrocities in the future?

What a load of bull#.

reply to post by freeordie

I just hate to see the career and lives of people ruined for B.S. I know it has happened before (the government needing a scape goat) I just hope Obama's feet get held to the fire when the proverbial SHTF.

What the hell is wrong with you people?
Dredging Obama and politics into this... yeah keep trying to spin this story whichever way you can.

He killed prisoners. He deserves nothing short of what he enacted upon them. Period.

He's a scapegoat alright, for his OWN misguided actions.

Jesus Christ, if it was some insurgent group executing American prisoners you guys would be foaming at the mouth right now, demanding they all be hung from the highest tree.

Originally posted by drwizardphd
What does this have to do with Obama?

He's the president when stuff happens, so it's noteworthy. Isn't that how it works?

Originally posted by drwizardphd
You think just because we have committed atrocities in the past, that we are permitted to commit atrocities in the future?

No I think that the wars of the past, the wars of the present, and those of the future are not suddenly going to change in their grotesque character. As such, let's not go on a fishing expedition of why/how/when etc... inconceivable situation, stuff happens.

reply to post by WestPoint23

Reflection of the times. You don't even want to know what Marines did to Japanese soldiers during WWII in the Pacific.

Yeah that doesn't make it anymore legal.

Most people grow out of the "but everyone else is doing it" mantra by the time they're 10 so spare me.

I suppose someone had to take the fall, unfortunate.

Nah. You think?

Those prisoners shot themselves in the head. They fabricated this whole story just to slander the beloved American military.

Because of course it's reputation is nothing short of stellar right now....

He's the president when stuff happens, so it's noteworthy.

Right so he's accountable for all the actions of the United States military right now?

10 dollars says you wouldn't feel that way if Bush was still in power. Hmm?

[edit on 16/4/09 by The Godfather of Conspira]

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
Right so he's accountable for all the actions of the United States military right now?

They say sarcasm is a fine art, over the internet it is perhaps a lost art. I hold no such view of Obama. Simply saying it will serve to boost his image in certain parts of the world, whether such associations are correct or not.