Marine cleared in Iraq videotaped shooting

[CMC Airboss]

Great news:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Navy investigators have determined a U.S. Marine acted in self-defense when he shot an apparently wounded and unarmed Iraqi inside a Falluja mosque in November, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/05/falluja.marine/index.html

[Nilsen]

Good for him.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Bout time they realized a Marine cant be held responsible for his own actions.  























J/k  

He was under orders to shoot anyone he considered dangerous, whether they appeared armed or not.  In his opinion it was justified.  Thats good enough for me.  Apparently it was good enough for the Brass too.  If the pansy-prettythang reporter couldn't handle being in a war zone, he shouldn't have signed up to cover a WAR.  Idiot.

[medicboy]

Best news I have heard in a while.  

this is a war zone, not a us city.  I would rather our troops shoot first and ask later, and live to make it home than come home early draped in flag....

[stantond]

That is great news!  I was one of those who signed an internet petition on behalf of the soldier.  Glad to see that verdict!


Regards,

Malta

[Vulcan]

Originally posted by medicboy
Best news I have heard in a while.  

this is a war zone, not a us city.  I would rather our troops shoot first and ask later, and live to make it home than come home early draped in flag....

Bingo, and they should pull out these freaking war correspondents as well. They do more damage than good. War is and always will be a brutal, and unfair business, broadcasting it virtually live back to the people back home is both ghoulish and bad for morale. Somethings are better left unseen.

[Gixer]

Originally posted by Vulcan
Bingo, and they should pull out these freaking war correspondents as well. They do more damage than good. War is and always will be a brutal, and unfair business, broadcasting it virtually live back to the people back home is both ghoulish and bad for morale. Somethings are better left unseen.

I know, the CADS! How dare they ruin the news that we want them to hear back home.


...-Gixer

[Vulcan]

The problem is Gixer, that war is dirty, unfair, and cruel. Most civilian populations have no stomach for it, hence in the good old days what filtered back was filtered, and the effect was lessened. This was a good example of where the news can have a negative effect - the last thing you want your troops doing is second guessing "what the camera crew saw".

Its sad but true that in war, mistakes happen, look at the friendly fire indicents that still keep on happening. This Iraqi was a combatant, he decided to fight in a situation where he could and probably would be killed. As Medicboy said, but to be safe and have this Iraqi dead than the marine returned draped in a flag.

[Hawklore]

Good call..

Stressful enviroment, and just being told that people are faking dead as suicide bombers....... Bang bang, dad agreed.

[rpm]

He was a Marine facing the enemy under battle conditions. He was not at fault. Good call by the JAG.

[Gixer]

Vulcan,

I agree with all you said to a certain extent (except for the "shoot first ask questions later") but you can't have a complete ban on all media as in the long run it does more harm then good. Plus with opressing all media in the area you might be seen as being no better then the guy you threw out in that regard and just helps to feed more propergander to the enemy.

Anyway, don't want to hijack the thread.


...-Gixer

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Gixer
Vulcan,

I agree with all you said to a certain extent (except for the "shoot first ask questions later") but you can't have a complete ban on all media as in the long run it does more harm then good. Plus with opressing all media in the area you might be seen as being no better then the guy you threw out in that regard and just helps to feed more propergander to the enemy.

Anyway, don't want to hijack the thread.


...-Gixer

The only countries that ban the media seem to be countries like China, Vietnam, the USSR, Cuba and others like them. But then, you love those countries and take their government's word as fact. Kinda ironic.

[Gixer]

Originally posted by NUKE
The only countries that ban the media seem to be countries like China, Vietnam, the USSR, Cuba and others like them. But then, you love those countries and take their government's word as fact. Kinda ironic.

Like I said Nuke, not wanting to Hijack the thread.  Start another if you wish to continue your ongoing  tantrum over communism.


...-Gixer

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Gixer
Like I said Nuke, not wanting to Hijack the thread.  Start another if you wish to continue your ongoing  tantrum over communism.


...-Gixer

I am staying on the subject of this thread. The media is not banned by America in Iraq. You made a point (sarcastic) that if the media was banned, then the news stories would be biased  how the military or government saw fit.

You have shown that you take the word of communist governments, who allow ZERO media coverage of their actions in battle and atrocites, as fact. You seem to be a hypocrite regarding media coverage.

[TimRas]

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
If the pansy-prettythang reporter couldn't handle being in a war zone, he shouldn't have signed up to cover a WAR.  Idiot.

Obviously you don't know anything about the reporter ( Kevin Sites ). He writes:
"As you know, I'm not some war zone tourist with a camera who doesn't understand that ugly things happen in combat. I've spent most of the last five years covering global conflict. But I have never in my career been a 'gotcha' reporter -- hoping for people to commit wrongdoings so I can catch them at it.

This week I've even been shocked to see myself painted as some kind of anti-war activist. Anyone who has seen my reporting on television or has read the dispatches on this website is fully aware of the lengths I've gone to play it straight down the middle -- not to become a tool of propaganda for the left or the right"

The following is his account what happened:

http://www.kevinsites.net/2004_11_21_archive.html

His blog is quite interesting, IMHO.