Author Topic: If this is true, could you blame him? (Read 1130 times)

hawk220 · « **on:** April 26, 2003, 11:51:35 PM »

I'd like to hear from the military guys on this one, Marines especially.

Marine Discusses Execution-Style Killing
Apr 26, 7:46 PM (ET)

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Military officials are investigating a Marine who says he shot an Iraqi soldier twice in the back of the head following a grenade attack on his comrades.

The Marine Forces Reserve announced the preliminary inquiry of Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias on Friday, the day the Las Vegas Review-Journal published an interview in which he described the killing.

Covarrubias, 38, of Las Vegas, said that during an intense battle in Baghdad on April 8, he pursued a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard who fired a rocket-propelled grenade at his unit. Covarrubias said he received a concussion in the attack and several other Marines also were injured.

Covarrubias, a 20-year Marine veteran, said he found the soldier inside a nearby home with the grenade launcher by his side. Covarrubias said he ordered the man to stop and forced him to turn around.

"I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Twice," Covarrubias told the Review-Journal.

He said he also shot the man's partner, who tried to escape. He showed what he said were the men's ID cards.

"I'm not vindictive, and I might get in trouble for telling you this, but I take it very personally when you do that to my family," Covarrubias said. "The Marines are my family."

The Marine Forces Reserve said the preliminary inquiry by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service will determine whether Covarrubias "met the established rules of engagement and complied with the law of war," and whether a formal investigation is warranted.

Calls to Covarrubias' home and knocks at the door went unanswered Friday.

Marine reservist Sgt. Michael Dunn, who fought alongside Covarrubias and was injured in the battle, said he stands by him "100 percent."

"If he wouldn't have done it, those guys probably would've come back and killed or severely injured other Marines," Dunn said. "He did the right thing."

john9001 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2003, 12:13:14 AM »

sorry hawk , but war is about killing people and breaking things, if you don't want to die then don't mess with marines, we marines are trigger happy gun toten cowboys who's only "rule of war" is to win.

you really need to tell the UN about this outrage, they can deal with it in the proper way.

Arlo · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2003, 12:19:30 AM »

Didn't sound like he was berating the marine from the title, John. But as for me ... I gotta admit ... I was taken aback. Granted, I'm not in his combat boots nor have I ever been in ground combat but I think he made two mistakes.

*ShruG*

funkedup · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2003, 12:22:10 AM »

He should have kept his mouth shut. I think military justice system is going to have no choice but to take a big dump on him now.

Arlo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2003, 12:26:38 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by funkedup
He should have kept his mouth shut. I think military justice system is going to have no choice but to take a big dump on him now.

That's the second mistake I was refering to.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2003, 12:50:19 AM »

Watch how some people begin using this isolated incident to advance their larger anti-american causes...

Pongo · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:02:49 AM »

grunhutz is an idiot
Imagine what he would be saying if it was an iraqi executing a us soldier

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:08:49 AM »

That he got orders to do it from his murderous regime?

Thx for the insult BTW...

Pongo are you upset I cut you off before you could post just such an attack based on this case? Thats how your post comes off..

Pongo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:13:15 AM »

Well whats anti american have to do with it. All you are doing is marginalizing any opinion on the subject that is contrary to yours.
Thats an idiotic thing to do.
As to the marine.
They should have him assessed. To cap some guy that amushed you is one thing. To talk about it to the papers rings of Post traumatic stress syndrome.

hawk220 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:22:44 AM »

He should have kept his mouth shut. I think military justice system is going to have no choice but to take a big dump on him now.

yup, I'm sure that there are lots of times this kind of thing happens in battle and the vast majority never get publicized.

I've never been in combat so I have no idea what was going thru his mind.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:22:53 AM »

Pongo:

All I was saying is that I fear that some people who have genuine anti-american feeelings and have expressed them before will likely use this case to say, again, the war in iraq is evil and how us troops are evil butchers.

I dont think the guy should have done that, thats not what I want our troops to be doing in such a case. However if anyone tries to make more out of this than there is in some attempt to bash the usa then they can go to hell.

I think thats a fair and reasonable statement for the most part.

Arlo · « **Reply #11 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:36:52 AM »

Agreed.

Monk · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2003, 01:56:37 AM »

WTG Marine..........carry on.

davidpt40 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2003, 02:21:23 AM »

Hard to judge. The Iraqi was just doing his duty, as was the Marine. But no use in prosecuting the Marine, wont bring back the Iraqis.

Engine · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2003, 03:21:06 AM »

Does that mean we shouldn't prosecute serial murderers too?

My feelings are summed up by Arlo. Guy screwed up, twice. Shooting the Iraqi I can understand, but blabbing about it? Very dumb.